ESPE Abstracts

Background: In diabetic patients vitamin D seems to play a role not only on bone metabolism, but also on many other organs and/or systems, such as lipid profile, cardiovascular system, etc. We decided to evaluate whether the celiac disease antibodies in type 1 diabetic patients have a connection with 25-OH vitamin D status.

Materials and Methods: 78 young patients with type 1 diabetes were evaluated with mean age of 14±1.18, and diabetes duration of 7±0.95 years, male/female ratio was as 1/1.11. In all investigated patients HbA1c, 25-OH vitamin D, anti-tTG (tissue transglutaminase) autoantibodies were measured, as well as anamnestic data was collected. Hypo- and hyperthyroid patients were excluded. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the significance of findings. In all cases null hypothesis was rejected if P<0.05.

Results: From 78 investigated patients 45 (57.7%) showed to have vitamin D deficiency <20ng/ml. In the rest 42.7%, who had sufficient vitamin D level, it was >20-30ng/ml, which indicates that they have so called "low-sufficient" vitamin D status. No connection between vitamin D status and sex, as well as the diabetes duration was found (p>0.05). HbA1c was significantly high in vitamin D insufficient group (P<0.05). Interestingly no significant difference is found in anti-tTG titers between vitamin D sufficient and insufficient groups (p>0.05), indicating no connection between 25-OH vitamin D and anti-tTG levels.High titers of celiac antibodies also were not associated with poor glucose control (p>0.05). But HbA1c revealed to correlate with age (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Glucose control in type 1 diabetic patients correlates with age, as well as is associated with vitamin D status in the organism. No connection between celiac disease antibodies and vitamin D status was found in type 1 diabetic young patients. Further studies are required more profoundly to investigate other parameters' and complications' connection with celiac disease and vitamin D status in type 1 diabetes.