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. 2024 Sep 30;13(19):5851.
doi: 10.3390/jcm13195851.

SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Coverage in Italian Children with Celiac Disease

Carlotta Pepino  1 , Federica Malerba  1   2 , Valentina Biagioli  1 , Talia D'Ambrosio  2 , Noemi Zampatti  1 , Francesca Canzoneri  1 , Jacopo Ferro  3 , Marco Crocco  4
Affiliations

SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination Coverage in Italian Children with Celiac Disease

Carlotta Pepino et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Background: Celiac disease (CD) is the most common multisystemic autoimmune disorder affecting the pediatric population. However, little data is available regarding SARS-CoV-2 vaccination coverage in pediatric patients with CD. This study aims to evaluate the adherence to national recommendations for SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in children and adolescents with CD and its variation over time. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed medical charts and electronic registry records of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination of patients aged 0-19 years diagnosed with CD in a tertiary center. The vaccination coverage was evaluated according to age groups (young children, children, and adolescents), considering the patients' eligibility for vaccination at different times. Results: Among the 172 patients enrolled, 44.8% received at least one dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, showing no significant differences compared to the Italian population of similar age. Vaccination coverage demonstrated a progressive reduction after an initial peak (up to 65.5% in December 2021) concomitant with a gradual extension of vaccinable eligibility and falling SARS-CoV-2 infections. Histological diagnosis and the presence of other associated autoimmune diseases were associated with higher levels of adherence to vaccination. Conclusions: Adherence to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in young Italian children with CD was very low, while it was better in adolescents and patients with other associated autoimmune diseases. Vaccine hesitancy remains a concern, particularly among those diagnosed using the biopsy-sparing approach. Hesitancy increased during the pandemic period, suggesting the need for ongoing efforts to improve adherence to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination recommendations.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; autoimmunity; celiac disease; gluten; vaccination; vaccine hesitancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of patient inclusion.
Figure 2
Figure 2
SARS-CoV-2 vaccination coverage in pediatric patients with CD at different time points.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Vaccination delay over time.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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