Abstract

Introduction: Vitamin D plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, limited data are available regarding the status of vitamin D among T2DM patients attending healthcare centers, particularly in the Aden Diabetic Center, Yemen. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among T2DM patients and explore its association with potential factors such as demographics, diabetes characteristics body mass index (BMI).

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 138 T2DM patients attending Aden Diabetic Center (ADC) between May and July 2023. Data on age, sex, diabetes characteristics (diabetes duration, family history of diabetes, and medication use), RBS, BMI, and serum vitamin D level were measured. Vitamin D status was categorized as deficient, insufficient, or sufficient based on established cutoffs. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used for data analysis.

Results: Majority of patients had vitamin D deficiencyy (73.2%) and the remaining had insufficient (17.4%), and sufficient (9.4%) status. Males comprised 53.6% and females 46.4%. Mean age was 53.70±12.93 years, with the highest proportion (60.9%) were in the age group 40-60 years. Majority of the patients (62.3%) had T2DM duration ≥ 5 years, and 89.1% were receiving diabetes medications, and 68.8% had a family history of DM. The mean RBS level was 220.13±86.90 mg/dl, with more than half (55.6%) having RBS levels ≥ 140 mg/dl. Also, the mean BMI was 27.00±5.90 kg/m², and more than half of the patients had overweight and obesity. The study found no significant association between serum vitamin D levels with age, diabetes characteristics, or BMI categories, while a significant association to sex was observed (P = 0.006).

Conclusion: The study highlights the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among T2DM patients attending the ADC in Aden. The majority of patients were found to have deficient levels of vitamin D, with limited differences based on age, diabetes characteristics, and BMI. The significant association between vitamin D levels and sex, indicating that sex may contribute to the risk of deficiency in T2DM patients. These findings emphasize the importance of assessing and addressing vitamin D status in T2DM patients to optimize their overall health and diabetes management.

Keywords: Vitamin D, Deficiency, type 2 diabetes mellitus.

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