Diabetes and COVID-19; a review of possible mechanisms.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (SARS-CoV-2) (COVID-19) has recently raised worldwide public health concerns. The available data on COVID-19 in patients with diabetes is limited but generally indicate that there is an increased risk of developing COVID-19 infection in diabetic patients, which ultimately impact the overall patient's survival. Various aspects might be involved however, the exact mechanisms and interrelationships between diabetes and the novel COVID-19 have not yet been fully elucidated. This review summarizes the possible mechanisms by which present diabetes predispose individuals to COVID-19 infection, modulates the host-viral interactions and increases the risk of mortality. We hope this review can provide beneficial information for further studies and contribute for improved disease management of diabetic patients with COVID-19.