Ramadan Fasting and Diabetes (2021): The Year in Review

Abstract

Abstract Introduction The literature on the impact of Ramadan fasting (RF) on diabetes is widely spread in many journals. This makes it not readily accessible to those interested in the subject. We aimed to provide a narrative overview of the global literature production in 1 year (2021) on diabetes and RF. Materials and Methods This was a narrative, nonsystematic review of the international literature from a single major medical online database (i.e., PubMed) during the year 2021. The search term “Ramadan fasting AND Diabetes” was used, and the relevant literature was narrated in a concise thematic account. Results The publications spanned a vast array of topics related to diabetes and RF, including epidemiology, assessments of safety and efficacy profiles of older and newer diabetes therapies, hypoglycemia, diabetes education, use of advanced technology for the treatment, and monitoring and impact on pregnancy. Some reports covered the interaction of Ramadan and the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in relationship to diabetes. Professional concerns, patients' perspectives, and telemedicine's role in RF were also addressed. Conclusion The current narration presents this year's literature on the safety of fasting practices, care models, and patients' experiences and perspectives. Work should continue on comprehensive assessments for the interplay of diabetes and RF under different settings. Particular attention should focus on the roles of newer antidiabetic medicines and advanced technology for safer fasting practices.