New-onset Fulminant Type 1 Diabetes Following COVID-19 Vaccination

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Immunology
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic necessitated rapid vaccine development.
• mRNA vaccines, such as Moderna's Spikevax (mRNA-1273), have shown high efficacy but rare adverse events are still being investigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a rare case of acute pancreatitis and fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus.
• To explore the potential association between COVID-19 mRNA vaccination and these conditions.

Main Methods:

• Case report of a 31-year-old male patient.
• Clinical evaluation including laboratory tests (serum amylase, blood glucose, C-peptide) and computed tomography (CT).

Main Results:

• The patient presented with epigastric pain and fever 16 days post-COVID-19 mRNA vaccination.
• Elevated serum amylase, pancreatic enlargement on CT, and hyperglycemia (320 mg/dL) were observed.
• Critically low serum and urinary C-peptide levels indicated severe beta-cell dysfunction.

Conclusions:

• The patient was diagnosed with fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus potentially induced by the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine.
• This case underscores a possible, albeit rare, link between mRNA vaccines and pancreatic complications, warranting further investigation.