Prevalence of Low Levels of Vitamin D in Type 2 Diabetes at the City of Mangueirinha, Paraná, Southern Brazil

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a worldwide epidemic. In 2002 there were 173 million diabetic adults worldwide, and these numbers are expected to reach up to 300 million people by 2030. Meanwhile, vitamin D deficiency has its worldwide prevalence directly influenced by factors as solar radiation, skin color, latitude and seasons, cultural habits of populations such as clothing and food, and these factors are important to explain the different prevalences of vitamin D deficiency in the world. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional cohort study was conducted with patients in the outpatient clinic of the Health Unit of the city of Mangueirinha, Paraná, Southern Brazil. Fifty-four type 2 diabetic patients were evaluated (38 women and 16 men), aged 55.8 ± 12.6 years. The following variables were evaluated: age, ethnicity, presence of type 2 diabetes (DM2), hypertension, dyslipidemia, weight, BMI, WC, blood pressure, blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, ionized calcium, PTH, 25-OH Vit, total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, urea, creatinine, uric acid and red cell/hematocrit. Results: mean BMI was 30.2 ± 4.4 kg/m2, indicating class 1 obesity in this population. Fasting glucose levels were approximately 169.8 ± 74.5 mg/dL. The 25-OH vitamin D values for this population were 23.4 ± 8.3 ng/mL, and 13% of them showed 25-OH vitamin D levels above 30 mg/dL. Fifty percent of those patients had vitamin D levels lower than 30 mg/dL, and 37% had less than 20 mg/dL. Conclusions: this study suggests that vitamin D is associated with low levels of vitamin D in type 2 diabetic patients. Supplementation of vitamin D should be considered in diabetic patients, when levels under 30 mg/mL are found.