Vitamin D insufficiency in type 2 diabetic patients correlates the disease prognostic indices: A Northern Saudi Status

Objective: An epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is attacking Saudi Arabia with the worst burden, necessitating a drastic comprehensive preventive strategy. Blood level of vitamin D correlates the disease and its supplementation favors prevention and management. However, the vitamin D status is not known in our area with the highest prevalence of the disease at the national level. Methods: In a case control study, we investigated plasma levels of vitamin D measured as 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OH-VitD) in healthy controls (n = 126) and T2DM patients (n = 290) from Al-Jouf region. Its level was correlated to plasma atherogenic index (AIP), C-reactive protein (CRP) and insulin resistance (as HOMA-IR) along with age, BMI, body shape index (ABSI), disease duration and complication and treatment scores. Vitamin D deficiency was massive among controls (~50%) and T2DM patients (~80%, where majority were very deficient). Treatment score correlated with worst prognostic changes. CRP, HOMA-IR and AIP were significantly higher in patients than controls. 25-OH-VitD level significantly correlated with age, ABSI, AIP, CRP, disease duration and treatment score in patients and correlated with age, BMI, ABSI, HOMA-IR, and AIP in controls. Conclusions: There is a wide spread vitamin D deficiency in the targeted sample of Al-Jouf healthy controls and was worse in T2DM Saudi population (X2 = 41.3; p < 0.001). It significantly correlated with the negative prognostic indices of the disease. As a part of a suggested disease prevention strategy, vitamin D replenishment is recommended.