Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42410961›Full record

SynthesisExpert reviews in molecular medicine2026

Increased Insulin Resistance and Hyperglycaemia in Long COVID: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Abbas F Almulla, Yingqian Zhang, Chavit Tunvirachaisakul, Andre F Carvalho, Michael Maes

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Expert reviews in molecular medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Abbas F AlmullaSichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, China.ORCID 0000-0002-7667-6731
Yingqian ZhangDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Chavit TunvirachaisakulInnovation in Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Treatment (IMPACT) Strategic Research Centre, School of Medicine, Barwon Health, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia.
Andre F CarvalhoSichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, China.
Michael MaesSichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, China.ORCID 0000-0002-2012-871X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAccumulating evidence suggests that long COVID (LC) is mediated by chronic immune activation, oxidative stress and metabolic dysregulation. These processes may impair glucose homeostasis and promote insulin resistance (IR). However, no prior meta-analysis has systematically and quantitatively evaluated IR indices and related biomarkers in LC compared with normal controls.

objectivesTo systematically review and meta-analyse IR indices including HOMA-IR, HOMA-%B, HOMA-%S, insulin, fasting and random blood sugar (FBG, RBS), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), C-peptide and adipokine levels in individuals with LC compared with normal controls.

methodsPubMed, SCOPUS, SciFinder and Google Scholar databases were searched for relevant studies from inception to September 2025. Fifty-six eligible studies were included, comprising 9623 participants, 5340 LC patients and 4283 normal controls.

resultsLC disease is characterized by elevated HOMA-IR (standardized mean difference, SMD = 0.539; 95% confidence interval, CI: 0.311; 0.766), insulin (SMD = 0.424; 95% CI: 0.113; 0.735), FBG and RBS (SMD = 0.734; 95% CI: 0.190; 1.277, SMD = 0.325; 95% CI: 0.133; 0.517). Furthermore, reduced HOMA-%S was observed in LC patients versus normal controls. Publication bias was generally low, though evidence of small-study effects was observed for several outcomes. The Immunological Confounder Scale was employed to evaluate study quality, revealing an overall intermediate methodological quality.

conclusionsOur results show that LC is associated with multiple abnormalities in glucose homeostasis, including increased HOMA-IR, hyperglycaemia and impaired insulin sensitivity indices, sustained metabolic disturbances beyond the acute phase.

Indexed as

COVID-19HyperglycemiaInsulin ResistanceBiomarkersBlood GlucoseGlycated HemoglobinHumansInsulinPost-Acute COVID-19 SyndromeSARS-CoV-2BiomarkersBlood GlucoseGlycated HemoglobinInsulinHbA1chyperglycaemiainsulininsulin resistancelong COVIDmetabolic disorder

Identifiers

PMID42410961
PMCPMC13472234

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.