Diabetics have more retina problems as they have less vitamin D
Vitamin D Insufficiency in Diabetic Retinopathy – Sept 2011
Endocr Pract. 2011 Sep 22:1-18.
Payne JF, Ray R, Watson DG, Delille C, Rimler E, Cleveland J, Lynn MJ, Tangpricha V, Srivastava SK.
Department of Vitreoretinal Surgery and Disease, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
Objective: To assess the relationship between vitamin D status and diabetic retinopathy
Methods: A clinic-based, cross-sectional study was conducted at Emory University. A total of 221 subjects were classified into five groups based on diabetes status and retinopathy findings:
no diabetes or ocular disease (n = 47),
no diabetes with ocular disease (n = 51),
diabetes with no background diabetic retinopathy (No BDR; n = 41),
nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR; n = 40), and
proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR; n = 42).
Key exclusion criteria included type 1 diabetes and those taking > 1000 IU vitamin D daily. Subjects underwent dilated fundoscopic examination and were tested for hemoglobin A1c, serum creatinine, and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)D) between December 2009 and March 2010.
Results: Between the groups, there was no statistical difference in age, race, sex, or multivitamin use.
Diabetic subjects had lower 25(OH)D levels than non-diabetic subjects (22.9 ng/ml versus 30.3 ng/ml, p<0.001).
The mean 25(OH)D levels were as follows:
No diabetes or ocular disease = 31.9 ng/ml,
No diabetes with ocular disease = 28.8 ng/ml,
No BDR = 24.3 ng/ml, NPDR = 23.6 ng/ml, PDR = 21.1 ng/ml.
Univariate analysis of the 25(OH)D levels demonstrated statistical significance between the study groups, race, body mass index, multivitamin use, hemoglobin A1c, serum creatinine, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. In a multivariate linear model with all potential confounders, only multivitamin use remained significant (p<0.001).
Conclusions: This study suggests that diabetic subjects, especially those with PDR, have lower 25(OH)D levels than those without diabetes.
PMID: 21940279
Note: subjects selected for the study did not take >1000 IU of vitamin D
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