Antibody response to polyvalent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in diabetics

Ten control volunteers and 40 insulin-dependent diabetics were immunized with polyvalent pneumococcal vaccine (Pneumovax). The populations were similar except that diabetics were significantly older. In a double-blind fashion, diabetics were divided into two groups of 20; one received vaccine at baseline and saline placebo four weeks later. The second received saline, then vaccine. Antibody response was measured by radioimmunoassay. In general, insulin-dependent diabetics responded as quickly and equally as controls. Antibody titers did not decline at eight weeks. Incidence and intensity of adverse reactions were similar among diabetics and controls. There was no correlation between antibody response and age (r=-.078), mean glucose concentration (r=-.096), or duration of diabetes (r=-.064). We conclude that insulin-dependent diabetics respond as well as controls to immunization with pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine.