Vitamin D deficit in type 2 diabetes patients during the winter in Northern Gran Canaria with and without supplementation

Hernández Lázaro Alba; María Fernandez-Trujillo-Comenge Paula; de Leon-Durango Ricardo; Agnieszka Kuzior; Esteban Nivelo Rivadeneira Manuel; Acosta-Calero Carmen; Arnas-Leon Claudia; Quintana-Arroyo Sara; Gonzalez-Diaz Paula; Javier Martinez-Martin Francisco

doi:10.1530/endoabs.73.AEP800

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Endocrine Abstracts (2021) 73 AEP800 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.73.AEP800

ECE2021 Audio Eposter Presentations Late Breaking (114 abstracts)

Vitamin D deficit in type 2 diabetes patients during the winter in Northern Gran Canaria with and without supplementation

Alba Hernández Lázaro ¹ , Paula María Fernandez-Trujillo-Comenge ¹ , Ricardo de Leon-Durango ¹ , Agnieszka Kuzior ² , Manuel Esteban Nivelo Rivadeneira ¹ , Carmen Acosta-Calero ² , Claudia Arnas-Leon ² , Sara Quintana-Arroyo ² , Paula Gonzalez-Diaz ³ & Francisco Javier Martinez-Martin ²

Err

Author affiliations

¹Hospital Universitario de Gran Canaria Dr. Negrin, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; ²Hospitales San Roque, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain; ³Centro de Salud de Arucas, Primary Healthcare, Arucas, Spain

Introduction

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with higher risk of COVID-19, and type 2 diabetic patients are a vulnerable group. We described an alarming rate of vitamin D deficiency (81.0% < 30 ng/ml plasma calcifediol) in unsupplemented type 2 diabetes patients during the 2020 spring lockdown in Northern Gran Canaria. During the winter period (December 2020 to February 2021) some restrictions for social gatherings and a nightly curfew have been enforced but there was no mandatory lockdown.

Objectives

To assess the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in type 2 diabetic patients from Northern Gran Canaria during the winter period (December 2020 to February 2021).

Methods

Plasma calcifediol levels were sampled in an unselected type 2 diabetic population, along with age, gender and vitamin D supplementation status.

Results

Data were obtained from 227 consecutive patients, 133 female (58.6%), mean age 59.7 ± 14.7 years. 103 (45.4%) were taking vitamin D supplements. Mean plasma calcifediol was 31.2 ± 13.0 ng/ml; but it was lower than recommended (<30 ng/ml), in 50.2% of the patients, deficient (<20 ng/ml) in 20.3% and severely deficient (<12 ng/ml) in 5.3%. In supplemented patients, calcifediol was mostly adequate (mean 41.1 ± 10.7 ng/ml, with 15.5% < 30 ng/ml, 3.9% < 20 ng/ml, none < 12 ng/ml and none > 80 ng/ml) but low in unsupplemented patients (mean 23.0 + 8.2 ng/ml, with 79.0% < 30 ng/ml, 34.7% < 20 ng/ml and 9.3% < 12 ng/ml). Plasma calcifediol was significantly higher in supplemented patients (mean difference 18.1 ng/ml, unpaired t-test, P < 0.0001) and the proportions of low, deficient and severely deficient patients were significantly lower (Fisher’s exact test, P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0006, respectively). Female patients had slightly higher plasma calcifediol than males (mean difference 4.1 ng/ml, unpaired t-test, P = 0.019). There was an inverse correlation between age and plasma calcifediol (coefficient -0.091, P = 0.004).

Conclusions

Even without a mandatory lockdown, the prevalence of low calcifediol levels during the winter months in our unsupplemented type 2 diabetic population is extremely high. However, when taking vitamin D supplements their vitamin D status is satisfactory with < 4% deficient patients and none severely deficient. Their use was effective to prevent the deprivation associated with voluntary lockdown, social gathering restrictions and low insolation during wintertime.