"Low Vitamin D Ups Mortality Risk in Patients With Diabetes

Cleveland Clinic Center for Continuing Education:

"Low Vitamin D Ups Mortality Risk in Patients With Diabetes
But risk is independent of urinary micro/macro albumin excretion rate
FRIDAY, Nov. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Low vitamin D levels increase the risk of all-cause mortality in patients with diabetes but do not appear to specifically increase the risk of progression to micro- or macroalbuminuria, according to research published in the October issue of Diabetes Care.

Christel Joergensen, M.D., of the Steno Diabetes Center in Gentofte, Denmark, and colleagues conducted a longitudinal observational follow-up study of 289 patients with type 2 diabetes and normoalbuminuria to assess vitamin D level as a predictor of progression to micro- or macroalbuminuria, all-cause, and cardiovascular mortality.
The researchers found that, in the study group, the mean vitamin D level was 35.7 nmol/L and was not associated with glomerular filtration rate, urinary albumin excretion rate, or A1C level at baseline. Over the study period, those with severe vitamin D deficiency were at higher risk of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality but were not at significantly increased risk of progression to micro- or macroalbuminuria.

'In summary, baseline levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] less than the 10th percentile predict increased risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in type 2 diabetic patients,' the authors write. 'Baseline levels of 25(OH)D3 less than the 10th percentile do not predict progression to micro- or macroalbuminuria.'
Abstract