title: Lower Levels of Vitamin D Among Bangladeshi Immigrants with Diabetes in Greece Compared to Indigenous Greek Patients with Diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vitamin D deficiency is thought to impair insulin action and glucose metabolism; however, previous studies have not examined ethnic differences. We investigated a cohort of predominantly white Greek Caucasian and Bangladeshi immigrant patients with diabetes mellitus in order assess the association between diabetes mellitus and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)VitD].
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 165 patients from Bangladesh and 118 patients from Greece with diabetes were assessed for diabetes and 25(OH)VitD status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 25(OH)VitD levels of Bangladeshi patients were significantly lower compared to Greek patients (12.42±5.86 ng/ml vs. 23.06±12.36 ng/ml, p<0.001). Only 1.2% of Bangladeshi patients vs. 24.57% of Greek patients had sufficient levels of 25(OH)VitD (≥30 ng/ml)
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is very high amongst patients with diabetes but immigrants are at greater risk. Vitamin D supplementation could be valuable in the prevention or treatment of diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Metaxa Anticancer Hospital of Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece george.papadakis.md@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Papadakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zambelis
authors.affiliation: Biochemical Department, Metaxa Anticancer Hospital of Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece.
authors.forename: Vassiliki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Villiotou
authors.affiliation: Biochemical Department, Metaxa Anticancer Hospital of Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikolaos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dogkas
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Metaxa Anticancer Hospital of Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece.
authors.forename: Anastasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pappas
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Metaxa Anticancer Hospital of Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Keramidas
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Metaxa Anticancer Hospital of Piraeus, Piraeus, Greece.
authors.forename: Kassiani
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kakava
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biopathology, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michalopoulou
authors.affiliation: First Surgical Clinic, Laikon University Hospital, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Theofilos
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rosenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Laikon University Hospital, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Konstantopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biopathology, Aeginition Hospital, Medical School, University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Stylianos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chatzipanagiotou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D
keywords: Bangladeshi; Greek; Vitamin D; diabetes; ethnic minority