COVID-19 booster vaccination linked to temporary rise of blood sugar levels among type 1 diabetes patients

In patients with a history of type 1 diabetes (T1D), inflammation triggers hyperglycemia. Vaccines cause an acute immunogenic response, and booster vaccines cause more potent immunologic responses.

There is a need for more data to understand the effects of vaccines on glycemic control and insulin requirements in the days immediately after post-vaccination. In the present study, researchers examined the changes in glycemic control and insulin usage immediately preceding and following a COVID-19 booster vaccine among adults with T1D.

In this study, participants wore blinded Dexcom G6 Pro continuous glucose monitors for ten days. After a baseline period, the COVID-19 booster vaccine was administered to the participants, following which glycemic indices were evaluated.

The key results of the study are:

• Twenty-one participants were enrolled.
• 38% and 62 % received a Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech booster, respectively.
• Compared to baseline, there was an increase in the mean glucose on Day 2 and day 3 (post-vaccination) with a value of 172.8 ± 47.0 mg/dL and 173.1 ± 45.0 mg/dL, respectively.
• On Day 2, there was an increase in Insulin resistance.
• There were no differences in outcome metrics between booster vaccine manufacturers.

They said, “Our study found that those with T1D have transient mild glycemic elevations after receiving a COVID-19 booster vaccination.”

Further reading:

Zilbermint, M., Motevalli, M., Batty, K., Venner-Walcott, J., Edwards, A. C., Burley, T., Jackson, K., Akhtar, M. W., & Demidowich, A. P. (2023). Effects of the COVID-19 Booster Vaccine on Glycemia and Insulin Resistance in People with Type 1 Diabetes: A Prospective Pilot Study. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 204, 110898. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2023.110898.