Pneumococcal immunization in adult diabetics.

The antibody responses of 102 adult insulin-treated diabetics who received 14-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine were measured. Grand mean preimmunization antibody levels were similar for diabetics, 255 ng protein N/ml, and controls, 234 ng protein N/ml. Postimmunization, the values in the diabetics, 1009 ng protein N/ml, and 834 ng protein N/ml in 48 healthy controls, were not significantly different. The height of antibody response in the diabetic group did not correlate with age, sex, duration of diabetes, insulin dose, concentration of glycosylated hemoglobin, fasting or 2-h postprandial glucose concentrations, or the presence of retinopathy. Side effects were minimal and occurred in 26%. Antibody response to pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine is not impaired in adult diabetics. Pneumococcal immunization is safe and may reduce the frequency of pneumonia and its complications in the diabetic population.