Psychological Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Pediatric and Adolescent Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Background The COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine measures had actually affected the quality of life of general population. Pediatric and adolescent diabetic patients are vulnerable group with increased susceptibility to infections and increased morbidity and mortality. They are exposed to increase levels of stress, anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Aim of the Work This study aims to assess the psychological impact of COVID -19 pandemic among children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Subjects and Methods This study is observational cross-sectional study based on analysis of 100 patients with type 1 diabetes, aged 7-18 years old from Pediatrics Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University. Patients were subjected to full history taking, physical examination, laboratory investigations and psychological assessment by assessing quality of life by PedsQLTM 3.0 Diabetes Module Arabic version which is a multidimensional diabetes-specific instrument assessing the broad age range of 2 - 18 years with both child and parent proxy-reports. Results The results showed that PedsQL (parents report) total score ranged from 40 – 92 with mean of 66.27 ± 12.48 and PedsQL (children report) total score range from 44-93 with mean of 68.41 ± 12.78. Both PedsQL (parents report) total score and PedsQL (children report) total score negatively correlated with age, weight, number of DKA, HbA1c post lockdown. There is a negative relation between PedsQL (parents report) total score and tanner stage, no. of sibling, hospital admission during pandemic and insulin regimen, so any increase in those parameters will lead to decrease in PedsQL (parents report) total score. There is a negative relation between PedsQL (children report) total score and no. of sibling. Conclusion There was a mutual relationship between the pandemic and lock down and HbA1c and quality of life in pediatrics and adolescences with T1DM in Egypt. Low quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted glycemic control.