The outbreak of COVID-19 as an acute communicable disease has also changed the epidemiological status of diabetes mellitus and other noncommunicable chronic diseases. During the COVID-19 epidemic period, it was observed that there were increased morbidity of diabetes, difficulties in blood sugar control and increased acute complications for diabetic patients. This may be attributed to lifestyle changes during the epidemics, such as the reduced exercise time and increased sedentary time, more snacks and sugary food intake, as well as anxiety and depression. However, it is not known the long-term impact of COVID-19 epidemic on the management of diabetic patients, so it is necessary to closely monitor the exposed diabetic patients in the future.

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disease, in which the abnormality of glucose and lipid metabolism may cause multisystem damage. Sodium-glucose synergistic transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a novel type of hypoglycemic drug that can lower blood sugar level by inhibiting the absorption of glucose through renal tubules. Studies have shown that SGLT2 inhibitors also have a lowering effect on blood pressure, but the mechanism is not fully elucidated. In this article the hypotensive effects of SGLT2 inhibitors and possible mechanisms are reviewed.

Physical fitness is the basic ability necessary to meet daily living activities,including walking, running, jumping, throwing, climbing, and so on. Adequate physical fitness is essential for the prevention and management of metabolic diseases. Impaired physical fitness is common in patients with diabetes mellitus and its chronic complications. This article reviews the impact of diabetes and its complications on physical fitness, current methods for assessment and management to provide a reference for comprehensive prevention and treatment of diabetic patients.

Objective:To investigate changes in the self-management ability of chronic diseases in elderly diabetic patients during the novel coronavirus pneumonia pandemic.Methods:A multi-stage cluster sampling method was used to retrospectively collect diabetes management information from elderly diabetic patients treated in five community health service centers in Beijing in June 2022, including 295 elderly diabetic patients, and changes in management of their self-care practices such as diet, exercise, medical treatment and medication, blood glucose monitoring, complication management, and psychological states before and after the outbreak(2019-2022)were analyzed.Results:In 295 elderly diabetic patients, increased glycated hemoglobin( P<0.05)and body mass index(BMI)( P<0.05)were observed during the pandemic.Among 115 patients with underlying diabetic complications, 75.7%(87)of patients had worsening symptoms of chronic complications of diabetes and a shortened weekly exercise time[124(60, 300)min vs.140(60, 300)min, Z=6.00, P<0.05].The number of weekly blood glucose tests was reduced(5.6±4.2 vs.5.8±4.3, t=3.17, P<0.05).The weekly time spent interacting with family members increased( P<0.05).There were no significant differences in body weight, sleep time, and number of times of forgetting to take medication per week before and after the outbreak( P>0.05).21.0% of patients had a decrease in the number of hospital visits, and 72.2% of patients experienced low mood and increased adverse psychological emotions during the pandemic. Conclusions:The pandemic has had a negative impact on the management of chronic diseases in elderly diabetic patients, mainly reflected in the reduction of exercise time and blood glucose monitoring.It also affected regular hospital visits of patients, resulting in negative psychological emotions, poor blood glucose control, increased BMI, and aggravated symptoms of chronic complications, compared with their pre-pandemic conditions.

Objective:To investigate blood glucose management in elderly diabetic patients and the factors that affected achieving high rates of achieving it.Methods:The quality of blood glucose control by elderly diabetic patients who visited five community health service centers in Beijing in June 2022 was surveyed retrospectively using a questionnaire.Participants were divided into the high-quality group and not high-quality groups by the criteria of glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA 1C)<7% without hypoglycemia and weight gain.Single factor analysis and multiple-stepwise Logistic regression analysis were used to identify the relative risk of factors affecting the achievement of good glucose management. Results:A total of 287 valid questionnaires were collected, including 80 cases(27.9%)in the high-quality group and 207 cases(72.1%)in the not high-quality group.There were significant differences in sex, course of disease, occurrence of hypoglycemia, number of chronic complications, medication, alcohol consumption, dietary changes, missed medication doses, prolonged outpatient visit intervals, and depressive mood between the two groups( P<0.05).Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that insulin use, missed medication ≥ 1 time/week, and prolonged outpatient visit intervals were independent risk factors for good control( P<0.05). Conclusions:The percentage of elderly diabetes patients with good blood glucose control was low.Factors affecting the rate included insulin use, medication compliance, and prolonged outpatient visit intervals.

Hypoglycemia can lead to physical and psychological disorders, which are associated with a decrease in quality of life and an increase in mortality risk. Compared to those hospitalized, homebound and community patients have a higher incidence of hypoglycemia and are more vulnerable to the disorders. Hypoglycemia is preventable and treatable, timely intervention can preserve physical well-being of patients and reduce the mortality risk. This article reviews the incidence of hypoglycemia in community diabetic patients, and the knowledge and awareness of patients about hypoglycemia, including the onset inducement, symptoms, hazards, coping and prevention, to provide a reference for the prevention and treatment of hypoglycemia in diabetic patients.