Evaluation of glycemic control among Type 2 diabetic patients in the first visit after COVID-19 lockdown, Prince Mansour Military Hospital, Taif, Saudi Arabia

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic causes significant morbidities and mortalities. Lockdown is applied worldwide to counteract the spread of the disease. These circumstances limit diabetic patients from hospital visits and follow-ups. Objectives: To evaluate glycemic control for type 2 diabetic patients in the first visit after COVID-19 lockdown and to study the effect of COVID-19 lockdown on glycemic control. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Prince Mansour Military Hospital, Taif city, Western Saudi Arabia. It included type 2 diabetic patients of both genders aged over 20 years that were assigned to follow-up in the diabetic center. Data were collected from patients' medical records using a simple random technique. It included patients' gender, age group, body mass index, and three glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) readings for each year (2018–2019) and one HbA1C reading upon the first visit after COVID-19 lockdown. HbA1c level was treated as a continuous variable. Results: The study included 420 diabetic patients. Females represented 51% of them, and more than a third (39.8%) were aged 60 years and over. The majority of them were either overweight (29.3%) or obese (61.2%). There was an increase in the overall level of HbA1c after curfew (8.72 ± 1.73) than before it (8.58 ± 1.72). However, the difference did not reach a statistically significant level, P = 0.056. Among females, the level of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was statistically and significantly higher after curfew than before it (8.71 ± 1.82 vs. 8.43 ± 1.71), P = 0.005. Also, among obese subjects, the level of hemoglobin A1c was statistically and significantly higher after curfew than before it (8.55 ± 1.74 vs. 8.34 ± 1.63), P = 0.034. Conclusion: There was a relative increase in the level of HbA1c after the lockdown during COVID-19, indicating poorer glycemic control; this impact was more obvious among female and obese type 2 diabetic patients.