Rotavirus vaccination and the risk of type 1 diabetes and celiac disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
PubMed 36090563 · doi:10.3389/fped.2022.951127
What was done
The authors searched PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis assessing the association between rotavirus vaccination and the risk of type 1 diabetes (T1D) or celiac disease (CD) in children.
What was found
Across 7 included articles involving >5,793,055 children, rotavirus vaccination did not significantly alter the risk of T1D (RR 0.94, 95% CI: 0.82–1.09) or CD (RR 0.86, 95% CI: 0.64–1.17). Full vaccination exposure (RR 0.86, 95% CI: 0.54–1.36) and partial exposure (RR 1.05, 95% CI: 0.87–1.26) also showed no significant association with T1D. By age subgroup at study end, children younger than 5 years had a lower risk of T1D (RR 0.84, 95% CI: 0.75–0.95), whereas children 5 years or older showed no significant association (RR 0.93, 95% CI: 0.81–1.07).
Why it matters
These findings provide population-level reassurance that rotavirus vaccination does not trigger or increase the risk of pediatric autoimmune diseases like type 1 diabetes or celiac disease.
Limits
The analysis relied on only 7 observational studies, making it subject to residual confounding. The abstract does not detail specific vaccine brands, baseline genetic risk profiles, follow-up durations, or statistical heterogeneity. The observed lower risk of T1D in children under 5 years may be confounded by shorter duration of follow-up.
Cited by
- contradicts Children living an unvaccinated lifestyle have a lower risk of autoimmune disease.