SEROLOGICAL RESPONSE TO VACCINES IN CHILDREN WITH DIABETES.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are more susceptible to infections. Deficiency in some domains of immune system could be one of the main reasons, which increases the risk of infections. The aim of this study was to assess antibody responses to vaccines in a group of children with diabetes and in the controls.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed among 90 children under 15 years of age with a history of type 1 DM, referred to endocrinology clinics of university hospitals; Mofid Children Hospital and Loghman Hospital. Also, we enrolled ninety healthy children as the control group. Antibody levels against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, measles, mumps, rubella and hepatitis B (HB) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS: Among 90 patients with diabetes, 48% were male and 52% were female and in the control group 49% were male and 51% were female. Regarding IgG antibody levels against measles, there was not any significant difference between the two groups, but according to the applied kit, IgG levels against measles vaccine were positive in 62% of the diabetic and 84% of the controls. Also, there was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of IgG antibody level against rubella, but consistent with the applied kit, there was not any significant difference between the two the groups.

CONCLUSION: Given the results of the study, no difference was found between patients with diabetes and controls who were vaccinated with pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, mumps and HB vaccines. But there are some concerns about measles and rubella vaccinations that need further investigation.