Background: Diabetes mellitus is the most common metabolic disease around the world. The present study aims at studying hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) and vitamin D serum levels in diabetic patients.
Materials and methods: A descriptive study was conducted on 102 diabetic patients presenting to the diabetic clinic of a tertiary care hospital in West of Iran in 2016 (Shahid Mostafa Khomeini Hospital of Ilam city). The data collected were inserted into the SPSS-20 software, and it was then analyzed by using the relevant statistical tests. For describing the quantitative variables, mean and standard deviation were used. Moreover, for describing the qualitative variables, number and percentage were applied. The mean serum levels of HbA1C and vitamin D were compared for different variables using the Chi-square and ANOVA.
Results: There is a positive and statistically significant relationship between the HbA1C and fasting blood sugar (FBS). Moreover, there is a statistically significant relationship between the serum level of vitamin D with smoking and body mass index (BMI). There is also an inverse linear relationship between vitamin D with HbA1C, FBS, BMI, and disease duration. The relationship between HbA1C with FBS and disease duration is a linear direct one. Their relationship between HbA1C and BMI is an inverse linear one, yet not significant.
Conclusion: Given the role of this vitamin in secretion and the effect of insulin, it seems useful to monitor the serum level of vitamin D in a diabetic patient and prescribe its supplements if necessary.
Keywords: Diabetic patients; Ilam; hemoglobin A1C; serum levels of vitamin D.