Publication date: May 28, 2026
Several studies have shown that people with diabetes are at higher risk of experiencing a severe course of COVID-19 infection. However, it remains unclear whether diabetes per se is a risk factor for the development of Long/Post-COVID. In addition, there is a lack of nationwide, population-based studies on the epidemiology of Long/Post-COVID in people with diabetes. The aim of this project is to analyze: (1) incidence and time trends of Long/Post-COVID in people with and without diabetes between 2021 and 2023 in Germany as well as potential risk factors; (2) mortality, any hospitalization and hospitalization due to acute myocardial infarction, stroke, amputation and diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) after a Long/Post-COVID diagnosis, including an analysis of potential risk factors. This study is planned as a non-interventional longitudinal observational study based on statutory health insurance (SHI) data in Germany. The data holder is the Health Data Lab (HDL: data pool of billing data for all persons with statutory health insurance). The incidence rates of Long/Post-COVID will be estimated separately in the populations with and without diabetes and compared as corresponding relative risk. Moreover, we will analyse age- and sex-standardized mortality and hospitalization rates within 12, 24, and 36 months after a Long/Post-COVID diagnosis in the years 2021 to 2024. Potential uncertainties in diagnosing Long/Post-COVID (e. g., underreporting) will be addressed in sensitivity analyses. The expected results will have high potential for use in epidemiological research on Long/Post-COVID, including the identification of potential risk factors in people with diabetes. The findings will serve to provide optimized healthcare for Long/Post-COVID patients with diabetes. Trial registration The study has been registered in the German Clinical Trials Register with identifier DRKS00036279. Registration Date 15. 05. 2025.
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Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 |
| disease | MESH | infection |
| disease | MESH | stroke |
| disease | MESH | diabetic foot |
| disease | MESH | syndrome |
| drug | DRUGBANK | (S)-Des-Me-Ampa |
| disease | MESH | Long Covid |
| pathway | REACTOME | Reproduction |
| disease | MESH | included |
| disease | MESH | dis |
| disease | MESH | Ger |
| disease | MESH | Bronchial asthma |
| pathway | KEGG | Asthma |
| disease | MESH | Anxiety |
| disease | MESH | chronic kidney disease |
| disease | MESH | malignancies |
| disease | MESH | cap |
| disease | MESH | ICD |
| disease | MESH | Diabetes mellitus |
| disease | MESH | hos |
| disease | MESH | hyperglycemia |
| disease | MESH | reinfections |
| disease | MESH | Fatigue |
| disease | MESH | obesity |
| disease | MESH | plan |
| disease | MESH | death |
| disease | MESH | somatoform disorders |
| drug | DRUGBANK | Diethylstilbestrol |
| disease | MESH | des |
| disease | MESH | chronic fatigue syndrome |