Low levels of vitamin D in North Indian children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes.
BACKGROUND
To find out whether vitamin D levels are lower in children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes (T1D) as compared to non-diabetic subjects.


METHODS
Plasma levels of vitamin D (25-OHD) were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in 50 children aged between 6 and 12 yr within a week of diagnosis of T1D, and in 50 healthy children.


RESULTS
The mean levels of vitamin D were significantly lower in patients as compared to their controls [20.02 +/- 10.63 ng/mL (50.05 +/- 26.57 mmol/L) vs. 26.16 +/- 12.28 ng/mL (65.4 +/- 30.7 mmol/L), p-value 0.009]. Twenty-nine (58%) children in the study group were vitamin D deficient (25-OHD level < 20 ng/mL or < 50 mmol/L) as compared to only 16 (32%) in the control group. Overall, 43 (86%) diabetic and 38 (76%) healthy children were either vitamin D deficient or insufficient.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that vitamin D levels are low at the onset of T1D, and they strongly support the need for further clinical studies to prospectively evaluate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on T1D rates in this patient population.
Borkar
Vibhor V
VV
Department of Pediatrics, Advanced Pediatrics Center, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Devidayal
Verma
Savita
S
Bhalla
A K
AK
D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*
D014807:Vitamin D