Abstract
Objectives
We aimed to provide a narrative overview of the global literature production during
2024 on diabetes and Ramadan fasting (RF).
Materials and Methods
A narrative, nonsystematic review of the international literature from two major medical
online databases (PubMed and Google Scholar) in one calendar year (2024). The search
term “Ramadan fasting AND Diabetes” was used, and relevant literature was narrated
in a concise thematic account.
Results
Themes from a review of the literature on RF published in 2024 included studies on
the epidemiology of fasting in the real world, nutrition, and metabolism during fasting.
Several studies assessed the validity of the recently proposed risk stratification
tool. The use and safety of different pharmacological therapeutic agents such as sulphonylureas,
newer basal insulin analogs, and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1
RAs) and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors were also studied in various
geographical and socioeconomic settings. The role of diabetes technology in Ramadan
was the focus of several studies of insulin pumps and monitoring. Special interest
was in the high-risk groups, such as acute complications and fasting in chronic kidney
disease. Several groups also considered professional and patient perspectives.
Conclusion
The literature on RF and diabetes in 2024 continued to address epidemiology, risk
stratification, the safety of pharmacological agents, diabetes technology, issues
about high-risk patients, and patient perspectives.
Keywords
Ramadan fasting - diabetes - patient perspectives - health care professionals - diabetes
technology - pharmacological therapy
