Endocrine Abstracts

Background and aim

Vitamin D may affect glucose homeostasis, vitamin D levels having been found to be inversely related to glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels in type 2 DM. With the scarcity of the regarding data in Ukraine, the aim of this study was to assess the relationship between hypovitaminosis D and glycemic control in type 2 DM women of reproductive age.

Material and methods

To test the hypothesis that 25(OH)D levels may be lower in a cohort of type 2 DM women and that 25(OH)D levels may be related to glucose control in this group of patients, 25(OH)D and HbA1c levels were measured in 90 women with type 2 DM and in 55 persons of control group. In a group of 90 type 2 DM patients, aged 20–45 years, mean age 36.2 ± 1.3 years, 25(OH)D levels and HbA1c levels were measured. The study was conducted during the summer.

Results

HbA1c levels were higher in the group of type 2 DM patients than in the control group, HbA1c levels being 7.8 ± 0.19% and 5.2 ± 0.07% in the patient and control groups, respectively (P ` 0.01, Student’s t-test). In the group of type 2 DM patients, 25(OH)D levels were lower than in the control group, 25(OH)D levels being 17.42 ± 0.98 ng/ml and 24.03 ± 1.04 ng/ml in the patient and control group, respectively (P ` 0.05). In the group of type 2 DM women, 17 of 90 (18.9%) as opposed to 3 of 55 (5.5%) in the control group had vitamin D levels ≤ 10 ng/ml (P = 0.0067). 25(OH)D levels were found to be inversely associated with HbA1c levels in the group of diabetic type 2 women (P = 0.007, r = 0.054). When the analysis was performed in all participants, type 2 DM patients and controls, it was found that 25(OH)D levels were inversely associated with HbA1c levels (P < 0.01, r = 0.082).

Conclusion

Vitamin D levels appeared to be lower in type 2 DM women of reproductive age than in the control group. Vitamin D levels being related to glycemic control in type 2 DM. These findings may have therapeutic implications as cautious vitamin D supplementation may improve glycemic control in type 2 DM.

Keywords: diabetes mellitus type 2, glycemic control, vitamin D, women of reproductive age.