Pathophysiology of Lung Dysfunction in Diabetes

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) morbidity and mortality impact in respiratory illness predominated the health-care scene at the start of the pandemic. Acute respiratory distress syndrome marked by severe hypoxemic respiratory failure was observed in COVID-19 in people with and without underlying lung disease. Knowledge gaps exist as to how co-existing diabetes and lung disease share molecular and clinical pathways with each other and with COVID-19. This chapter focuses on major disease mechanisms common to lung illnesses and diabetes and aims to connect these disease processes with our current understanding of COVID-19. We explore diabetes in association with COVID-19, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary fibrosis, thromboembolic disease, and bronchiectasis.