Vitamin D deficiency tied to greater risk of MACE and heart failure in diabetics

According to data from the UK Biobank, 20 % of individuals with type 2 diabetes had vitamin D deficiency. In both T1D and T2D, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality; however, its role in developing complications is arguable. In the cohort study of 1448 T1D adults and 770 T2D adults, researchers investigated vitamin D deficiency as a risk marker for complications in such individuals.

Individuals in the lowest vitamin D decile were classified as deficient. Outcomes-based on medical records and registers included mortality, MACE, heart failure, a composite kidney endpoint, albuminuria progression and sight-threatening eye disease. Cox proportional hazard models were used.

The key results of the study are:

• There was an association between Vitamin D deficiency and a higher risk of MACE (aHR 2.6) in T1D, but not T2D.
• The risk of heart failure was higher in those with vitamin D deficiency in T1D and T2D individuals.
• There was no association between Vitamin D deficiency and the development of microvascular complications or mortality.

They said we had a unique opportunity to evaluate the association between vitamin D deficiency and the complications.

Vitamin D deficiency was a risk marker for MACE and heart failure in individuals with type 1 diabetes.

Study Limitations are small sample size and a lack of data on medication changes and vitamin supplementation.

Reference:

Tougaard, N. H., Hansen, T. W., & Persson, F. (2023). Vitamin D deficiency and development of complications in individuals with type 1 and type 2 diabetes: A cohort study. Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications, 37(10), 108611. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2023.108611