THE ASSOCIATION OF VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY AND GLUCOSE CONTROL AMONG DIABETIC PATIENTS IN THE UNITED STATES

POSTER PRESENTATIONS

Objective. To evaluate the association between the level of vitamin D and glycemic control among patients with diabetes Background. The complications of the diabetes are very serious health problems that should be prevented. Vitamin D level could be one factor that contributes to diabetes control. Methods. We analyzed data collected from NHANES 2003- 2006. We included only non-pregnant adult diabetic persons 18 years or older. We used student’s t test to compare the difference in HbA1c means between diabetic patients with and without a vitamin D deficiency. We used a multivariate logistic regression model to predict the relationship between glucose control (HbA1c <7% [53 mmol/mol]) and vitamin D deficiency (serum level < 20 ng/ml). We used race/ethnicity, BMI, age, gender, type of diabetic medication used, having health insurance or not, and comorbid conditions (hypertension, anemia, cholesterol, liver disease, and kidney disease) as control variables. Results. The study population included a total of 929 non-institutionalized, non-pregnant, diabetic adult persons. About 57% of patients with diabetes had a vitamin D deficiency. Blacks (non-Hispanic patients) with diabetes had the highest rate of vitamin D deficiency (79%). The unadjusted means of HbA1c were significantly different between diabetic patients with no vitamin D deficiency and those with a vitamin D deficiency (7.06% [54 mmol/mol], 7.56 % [59 mmol/mol], respectively, P<0.0001). Multivariate adjustment showed a small but not significant, increase in odds (11%) of having uncontrolled diabetes in patients with a vitamin D deficiency after adjustment for other factors Conclusion. Vitamin D deficiency is very common in patients with diabetes. We found no significant association between vitamin D level and glycemic control in patients with diabetes after adjustment for control variables. Grants. The study was not funded.