Role of vaccination against pneumococcal and influenza infections in the clinical course of type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents

The impact of vaccination against pneumococcal infection with 100 Pneumo 23 vaccine (n = 72) and with this vaccine in combination with the subunit vaccine Grippol against influenza (n = 28) was studied in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). A control group consisted of 30 unvaccinated children with type 1 DM. All the children received intensified insulin therapy with human insulin preparations for an average of 0.88±0.03 U/kg/day. Vaccination was made in 59% in the compensation phase of type 1 DM and in its subcompensation phase in 41%. Mono- and combined vaccinations were ascertained to result in DM stabilization. Within a year after administration of pneumococcal vaccine, the incidence rates of acute respiratory infections (ARI) reduced by 2.2 times, and that of ARI concurrent with laryngotracheitis, otitis, and maxillary sinusitis decreased by 2.3, 1.6, and 4 times, respectively. With combined vaccination against pneumococcal and influenza infection in children and adolescents with type 1 DM, these rates showed 1.6-, 1.6-, 4.6-, and 2.3-fold reductions, respectively. The duration and severity of ARI were significantly reduced. Accordingly, the frequency of using antibiotic therapy was decreased by 3.6 times in the Pneumo 23 group and by 3.9 times in the combined vaccination group. The control group demonstrated no positive changes in the incidence, severity, and complications of ARE. It is suggested that administration of pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine yields a therapeutic effect in patients with type DM.