ESPE Abstracts

Background: It was suggested that vitamin D has both direct and indirect effects on modifying the lipid profile in patients with diabetes through its regulatory action that increases the activity of lipoprotein lipase in adiposity.

Objective and hypotheses: To detect the relationship between serum 25(OH) D and lipid profiles in patients with T1D and dyslipidemia and to study the effect of vitamin D supplementation on lipid profiles of vitamin D deficient T1D patients with dyslipidemia.

Method: This cohort study included 50 patients with T1D and dyslipidemia with history of T1D more than 2 years. Vitamin D level was assessed and patients were divided accordingly into two groups: 20 patients with vitamin D sufficiency and 30 patients with vitamin D deficiency who were allocated to vitamin D3 supplementation in a dose of 4000 IU/day for 4 months, then lipid profile was re-evaluated for both groups.

Results: The mean age of the studied patients was 12.56±3.53 years, 25(OH)D levels ranged from 0.1 to 62 ng/ml with a mean of 25.95 ng/ml. There was no significant correlation between vitamin D level and different studied parameters (age, diabetes duration, hypoglycemia frequency, DKA frequency, insulin dose, HbA1c, thyroid functions and lipid profile) within the study group (P>0.05). When patients with vitamin D deficiency were compared to those with normal levels, no significant difference was found except in family history of coronary heart disease (P=0.036) and free T₄ (P=0.035). After 4 months of vitamin D supplementation for those with vitamin D deficiency, the mean difference (at 0 & 4 months) in HbA1c and LDL between the two groups was statistically significant (P=0.04 & 0.02 respectively).

Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency was highly prevalent in patients with T1D. There was no significant correlation between 25OHD levels and lipid profile. Vitamin D supplementation for 4 months had a significant lowering effect on LDL.