Frequency of Vitamin D Deficiency in Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of vitamin D deficiency in newly diagnosed patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Study Design: Prospective case control study.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of medicine, Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Shifa Hospital Karachi from January to December 2015.
Materials and Methods: A total of 302 study subjects were selected, out of which 151 healthy controls while 151 patients included in the study were newly diagnosed type-2 diabetes mellitus with non-probability, consecutive sampling at medical Out Patient Department (OPD) of PNS Shifa Karachi. All controls and newly diagnosed type-2 diabetics were tested for fasting plasma glucose, HbA1C and 25 hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH) D3 / vitamin D) levels in pathology laboratory of PNS Shifa Hospital. Patients having serum level of 25(OH) D3 < 25 nmol/L was considered as having vitamin D deficiency.
Results: Out of total 302 subjects, vitamin D levels of 36 ± 19nmol/L in newly diagnosed type 2 DM cases and of 65 ± 31nmol/L in controls of similar age groups and gender were found significantly lower in newly diagnosed type 2 DM. Vitamin D deficiency was found in 58 (38.4%) cases and 13 (8.6 %) in controls. In 151 newly diagnosed patients of type 2 Diabetes, 73 (48 %) were males and 78 (52 %) were females with mean age of 53.7 ± 8.7 years in both gender. In cases, mean and SD of fasting plasma glucose was 9.2 ± 1.5 mmol/L, HbA1C 9.4 ± 1.4 % and serum 25(OH) D3 36 ± 19 nmol/L. In cases, low vitamin D levels in different age groups and gender was found significant with advancing age predominantly in females. Significant correlation was found between hyperglycemia (HbA1C) and vitamin D deficiency (p-value < 0.001).
Conclusion: Higher frequency of vitamin D deficiency was found among patients newly diagnosed as diabetes mellitus type-2 with advancing age especially in females. Vitamin D levels were inversely related to hyperglycemia. Considering such high frequency, screening of diabetic patients for vitamin D deficiency would be beneficial.