Vitamin D deficiency tied to increased blood sugar and insulin need among ICU patients

In patients admitted to the ICU (intensive care unit), hyperglycemia is common and is linked with harmful effects such as increased ICU stay, infection risk, and death and complications. IV (intravenous) insulin infusion is the preferred method of controlling blood sugar in such patients.

In Iranians, there is a high vitamin D deficiency related to hyperglycemia. Mohammad Niakan Lahiji from Iran University of Medical Sciences in Tehran, Iran, and colleagues, therefore, aimed to assess the association between vitamin D levels and the required insulin dose prescribed based on an insulin therapy protocol in critical condition patients admitted to the intensive care unit in an investigation based in Iran in a cross-sectional study.

The study included patients who required insulin due to hyperglycemia. The team from Iran investigated the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and the needed insulin dose prescribed based on insulin therapy protocol in this patient population.

The authors reported the following findings:

• A total of 172 patients with a mean age of 46.93 ± 31.9 years were included in the study. Across the included participants, 78.8% of patients had vitamin D deficiency, 11.9% had insufficient vitamin D, and 9.3% had normal vitamin D levels.
• There was a significant difference in mean blood sugar between the vitamin D deficiency and standard groups.
• Vitamin D levels were also significantly higher in men than women.
• The HbA1C hemoglobin level in patients with Vitamin D deficiency was significantly higher compared to the group with normal vitamin D levels.

The study showed an inverse relationship between vitamin D levels and the patient's blood sugar levels. Increasing vitamin D levels reduced blood sugar levels and decreased patients' insulin requirements, implying reduced insulin resistance.

"Our findings indicated that low vitamin D levels are associated with increased blood sugar and insulin requirements in patients admitted to ICU. Women are at a higher risk for vitamin D deficiency," the researchers wrote.

"We hope that these findings may help inform relevant treatment strategies," they conclude.

Reference:

Niakan Lahiji, M., Moghaddam, O. M., Ameri, F., Pournajafian, A., & Mirhosseini, F. (2023). Relationship of Vitamin D level with insulin dosage required based on insulin therapy protocol. European Journal of Translational Myology. https://doi.org/10.4081/ejtm.2023.11017