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Review
. 2021 Mar-Apr;15(2):505-508.
doi: 10.1016/j.dsx.2021.02.026. Epub 2021 Feb 25.

COVID-19 vaccination in patients with diabetes mellitus: Current concepts, uncertainties and challenges

Rimesh Pal  1 , Sanjay Kumar Bhadada  2 , Anoop Misra  3
Affiliations
Review

COVID-19 vaccination in patients with diabetes mellitus: Current concepts, uncertainties and challenges

Rimesh Pal et al. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2021 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Background and aims: To summarize the available evidence on the use COVID-19 vaccines in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Methods: We performed a thorough literature search with regard to COVID-19 vaccines in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Results: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) tends to portend a poor prognosis in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Primary prevention remains the mainstay for mitigating the risks associated with COVID-19 in patients with DM. A significant step in primary prevention is timely vaccination. Routine vaccination against pneumococcal pneumonia, influenza, and hepatitis B is recommended in patients with DM with good efficacy and reasonable safety profile. With clinical data supporting a robust neutralizing antibody response in COVID-19 patients with DM, vaccination in individuals with DM is justified. In fact, as the burden of the disease is borne by people with DM, COVID-19 vaccination should be prioritized in individuals with DM. Multiple unresolved issues with regard to preferred vaccine type, vaccine efficacy and durability, frequency of administration, vaccination in children (<18 years) and pregnant/lactating women however remain, and need to be addressed through future research.

Conclusions: Patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus are at a high risk of poor prognosis with COVID-19 and vaccination should be prioritized in them. However, many unresolved issues with regard to COVID-19 vaccination need to be addressed through future research.

Keywords: COVID-19; Diabetes mellitus; Vaccines.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest None to declare.

References

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