Immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 Vaccine in People with Diabetes: A Prospective Observational Study
Eleni Papadokostaki,
Anastasios Tentolouris,
Ioanna A. Anastasiou,
Mina Psichogiou,
Evangelia Iliaki,
Ioanna Eleftheriadou,
Angelos Hatzakis,
Nikolaos Tentolouris
Affiliations
Eleni Papadokostaki
Diabetes Center, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, 115 27 Athens, Greece
Anastasios Tentolouris
Diabetes Center, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, 115 27 Athens, Greece
Ioanna A. Anastasiou
Diabetes Center, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, 115 27 Athens, Greece
Mina Psichogiou
First Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, 115 27 Athens, Greece
Evangelia Iliaki
Microbiology Department, General Hospital of Heraklion, Venizeleio, 714 09 Heraklion, Greece
Ioanna Eleftheriadou
Diabetes Center, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, 115 27 Athens, Greece
Angelos Hatzakis
Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 157 72 Athens, Greece
Nikolaos Tentolouris
Diabetes Center, First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laiko General Hospital, 115 27 Athens, Greece
The mRNA-based BNT162b2 vaccine has demonstrated high efficacy against severe SARS-CoV-2. However, data regarding immune response in people with diabetes mellitus (DM) after vaccination with the BNT162b2 vaccine are limited. In this prospective observational study, we examined humoral immune response in participants with and without DM after vaccination with the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine. A total of 174 participants (58 with and 116 without diabetes, matched for age) were included. Antibodies were measured 21 days after the first dose, 7–15 days after the second dose, and 70–75 days after the second and before the third dose of the vaccine. Antibodies were measured by an anti-SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain IgG (Abs-RBD-IgG) assay by a chemiluminescent microparticle immune assay; values > 50 AU/mL are considered protective from severe disease. Almost 17% of participants with DM did not develop adequate humoral immune response to the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine after the first dose; however, it was high and similar after the second dose in both participants with and without DM and remained so almost 2 months after the second dose of the vaccine. Geometric mean values of Abs-RBD-IgG were not significantly different between participants with and without DM during the study. At least two doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine are necessary to ensure adequate and sustainable immune response in people with DM.
