Robust Antibody Levels in Both Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Individuals After BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccination

• Published in: Frontiers in immunology Vol. 12; p. 752233
• Main Authors: Ali, Hamad, Alterki, Abdulmohsen, Sindhu, Sardar, Alahmad, Barrak, Hammad, Maha, Al-Sabah, Salman, Alghounaim, Mohammad, Jamal, Mohammad H, Aldei, Ali, Mairza, Mohammad J, Husain, Maitham, Deverajan, Sriraman, Ahmad, Rasheed, Cherian, Preethi, Alkhairi, Irina, Alkandari, Abdullah, Abubaker, Jehad, Abu-Farha, Mohamed, Al-Mulla, Fahd
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 24-11-2021
• Subjects: Adaptive Immunity - immunology; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antibodies, Neutralizing - blood; Antibodies, Neutralizing - immunology; Antibodies, Viral - blood; Antibodies, Viral - immunology; BNT162 Vaccine - immunology; BNT162b2; COVID-19; COVID-19 - immunology; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 - virology; diabetes mellitus type 2; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - immunology; Female; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin G - immunology; Immunology; Male; Middle Aged; mRNA vaccine; SARS-CoV-2 - genetics; SARS-CoV-2 - immunology; SARS-CoV-2 - physiology; T2D; Vaccination; vaccine; Young Adult; COVID-19; vaccine; BNT162b2; T2D; COVID-19 vaccine; antibodies; diabetes mellitus type 2; mRNA vaccine
• ISSN: 1664-3224; 1664-3224
• DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.752233

The emergence of effective vaccines for COVID-19 has been welcomed by the world with great optimism. Given their increased susceptibility to COVID-19, the question arises whether individuals with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and other metabolic conditions can respond effectively to the mRNA-based vaccine. We aimed to evaluate the levels of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and neutralizing antibodies in people with T2DM and/or other metabolic risk factors (hypertension and obesity) compared to those without. This study included 262 people (81 diabetic and 181 non-diabetic persons) that took two doses of BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) mRNA vaccine. Both T2DM and non-diabetic individuals had a robust response to vaccination as demonstrated by their high antibody titers. However, both SARS-CoV-2 IgG and neutralizing antibodies titers were lower in people with T2DM. The mean ( ± 1 standard deviation) levels were 154 ± 49.1
138 ± 59.4 BAU/ml for IgG and 87.1 ± 11.6
79.7 ± 19.5% for neutralizing antibodies in individuals without diabetes compared to those with T2DM, respectively. In a multiple linear regression adjusted for individual characteristics, comorbidities, previous COVID-19 infection, and duration since second vaccine dose, diabetics had 13.86 BAU/ml (95% CI: 27.08 to 0.64 BAU/ml, p=0.041) less IgG antibodies and 4.42% (95% CI: 8.53 to 0.32%, p=0.036) fewer neutralizing antibodies than non-diabetics. Hypertension and obesity did not show significant changes in antibody titers. Taken together, both type-2 diabetic and non-diabetic individuals elicited strong immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine; nonetheless, lower levels were seen in people with diabetes. Continuous monitoring of the antibody levels might be a good indicator to guide personalized needs for further booster shots to maintain adaptive immunity. Nonetheless, it is important that people get their COVID-19 vaccination especially people with diabetes.