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Endocrine Abstracts (2017) 49 EP445 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.49.EP445

1Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Department, University Hospital of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; 2Faculty of Medicine of University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.


Background: In the recent years, Vitamin D role has grown in cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases, and some relations were made with low serum testosterone (LST) levels. It is equally known that in patients with diabetes, the prevalence of LST is higher.

Objetive: To determine the prevalence of low levels of vitamin D and its relation with LST in men with diabetes.

Material and methods: A cross-sectional study of 65 men with type 1 and type 2 diabetes was conducted, with age ranging from 25 to 73 years. Clinical data was obtained from clinical records, such as disease duration, diary insulin dose, retinopathy and hypertension. Biochemical parameters were: 25-hydroxi-vitamin-D (25[OH]D), total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), gonadotropins, prolactin, glycated haemoglobin (A1C). Low levels of 25(OH)D were considered when <30 ng/ml (insufficiency 20–29 ng/ml and deficiency<20 ng/ml) and LST when TT <3.0 ng/ml.

Results: Mean age was 51.9±19.9 years and the mean disease duration was 15.6±10.2 years, 60% had type 2 and 40% type 1 diabetes. 76.9% had BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2. Forty-two patients (64.6%) had low vitamin D levels (40% had 25(OH)D 20–29 ng/ml and 24.6% had 25(OH)D<20 ng/ml). In multiple linear regression model, low levels of 25(OH)D were associated with triglycerides (β −0.314; P=0.011) and FT (β 0.273; P=0.03) when adjusted for age, BMI and disease duration. Men with low levels of vitamin D had significantly lower FT (15.82±9.53 vs 22.72±10.72 pg/ml; P=0.013) and higher serum triglycerides (164.1±122.1 vs 104.9±45.2; P=0.029). Mean A1C was 8.07±1.61% vs 7.48±1.40%, respectively, but was not significantly different (P=0.250).

Conclusion: In this sample, the prevalence of low levels of vitamin D was similar to data described in other studies (52–77%). When adjusted for age, BMI and disease duration, these levels of vitamin D were associated with higher serum triglycerides and lower free testosterone, which may indicate the metabolic effects of this vitamin in patients with diabetes.

Volume 49

19th European Congress of Endocrinology

Lisbon, Portugal
20 May 2017 - 23 May 2017

European Society of Endocrinology 

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