Association of vitamin D deficiency with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and diabetic nephropathy in Tianjin, China.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the association of vitamin D deficiency with type 2 diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and diabetic nephropathy (DN).

METHODS AND STUDY

DESIGN

A total of 287 type 2 diabetic patients were categorized in two ways, and each divided into two groups: DPN (n=164) and non-DPN (NDPN) groups (n=123); and DN (n=148) and non-DN (NDN) groups (n=139). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the 25-hydroxy vitamin D [25(OH)D3] level. Correlation analysis between 25(OH)D3 and other indicators was performed.

RESULTS

25(OH)D3 levels were lower in the DPN and DN groups than in the NDPN and NDN groups, and the difference was statistically significant (t =-6.23, -4.38, p<0.0001). Moreover, a higher proportion of patients in the DPN and DN groups exhibited vitamin D deficiency than those in the NDPN and NDN groups (χ2=22.231, 15.973, respectively, p<0.0001). Vitamin D was highly correlated with DPN, DN, diabetes duration, age, sex, fasting plasma glucose, blood urea nitrogen, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, 24-h urinary microalbumin, and beta-2 microglobulin (r=-0.34 ~ -0.133, p<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that vitamin D deficiency is an independent risk factor for DPN and DN (OR=3.53, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.06-6.03; OR=2.93, 95% CI: 1.71-5.03; respectively, p<0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

Vitamin D deficiency is closely correlated with DPN and DN and can be considered as an independent risk factor for DPN and DN.