TITLE:
Association of Vitamin D Deficiency with Diabetic Retinopathy in Young People with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
AUTHORS:
Abir Bin Sajj, Bedowra Zabeen, Mohammad Zafar Khaled, Nuzhat Choudhury, Tohura Sharmin
KEYWORDS:
Vitamin D Deficiency, Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetic Retinopathy, Young People
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Ophthalmology,
Vol.13 No.1,
February
10,
2023
ABSTRACT: Background: Diabetic retinopathy is among the most common diabetic complications, and is one of the leading causes of blindness in the world. Recent studies have linked vitamin D to the pathogenesis of diabetes and there is growing evidence that vitamin D can interfere with the mechanisms involved in diabetes and its complications. Despite improvements in treatment, diabetic retinopathy remains a significant complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus. Identification of early treatable predictors of diabetic retinopathy such as vitamin D deficiency, may allow more aggressive management of those at high risk. Purpose: To assess the association of vitamin D deficiency with diabetic retinopathy in young people with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Design: Observational study with case control design. Method: 60 young people with type 1 diabetes aged between 11 to 24 years were included in this study. Among them, 30-young people have diabetic retinopathy and 30-young people do not have diabetic retinopathy. Purposive sampling technique was applied as per inclusion criteria. Statistical analysis of the results was done by using computer-based software, SPSS version 26. P value of less than 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results: Vitamin D deficiency was present in 83% of the young people with diabetic retinopathy and in 53% without diabetic retinopathy. The mean vitamin D level in young people with and without diabetic retinopathy was 17.38 ± 3.77 ng/ml and 20.15 ± 5.06 ng/ml respectively and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.019). Vitamin D deficiency was increased with the severity of diabetic retinopathy. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression showed vitamin D deficiency was independently associated with diabetic retinopathy with a crude odds ratio of 5.69 with a p value of 0.008 and adjusted odds ratio of 16.08 with a p value of 0.002 respectively. Conclusion: Result of the study revealed that vitamin D deficiency was strongly associated with diabetic retinopathy in young people with type 1 diabetes mellitus.