Low circulating ACE2 levels tied to severe COVID-19 infection in diabetics: Study
China: Diabetes patients with lower plasma levels of angiotensin-converting- enzyme 2 (ACE2) may be at an increased risk of severe COVID-19 infection, according to a recent study in the journal Aging.
Prior to the study, it was known that patients with pre-existing chronic disease are more susceptible to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, there is no clarity on the underlying cause of this increased infection risk.
ACE2 is a cell surface receptor that recognizes the coronavirus spike protein has protective effects against inflammation and chronic hyperglycemia in animal models. Owing to contradictory findings, the roles of ACE2 in severe SARS-CoV-2 infections remain ambiguous.
Against the above background, Yanliang Zhang, Nanjing Hospital of Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, China, and colleagues aimed to investigate the relationship between human plasma ACE2 levels in diabetics and the high risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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