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Vitamin D deficiency is associated with painful diabetic neuropathy
Author(s) -
Alam Uazman,
Petropoulos Ioannis N.,
Ponirakis Georgios,
Ferdousi Maryam,
Asghar Omar,
Jeziorska Maria,
Marshall Andrew,
Boulton Andrew J. M.,
Efron Nathan,
Malik Rayaz A.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
diabetes/metabolism research and reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.307
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1520-7560
pISSN - 1520-7552
DOI - 10.1002/dmrr.3361
Subject(s) - medicine , diabetic neuropathy , diabetes mellitus , skin biopsy , vitamin d and neurology , peripheral neuropathy , allodynia , gastroenterology , hyperalgesia , vitamin d deficiency , polyneuropathy , endocrinology , biopsy , nociception , receptor
Abstract Background The aetiology of painful diabetic neuropathy is unclear. We have evaluated vitamin D levels in diabetic patients with and without painful neuropathy. Methods Forty‐three patients with type 1 diabetes and painless (DPN) (n = 20) or painful (PDN) (n = 23) neuropathy and 14 non‐diabetic healthy control subjects (C) underwent assessment of neurologic deficits, quantitative sensory testing (QST), electrophysiology, skin biopsy, corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) and measurement of serum 25(OH)D. Results There were no significant differences for age, BMI, HbA 1c , lipids, neurological deficits, QST, electrophysiology, intra‐epidermal nerve fibre density (IENFD) and corneal nerve morphology between patients with DPN and PDN. Both positive (hyperalgesia and allodynia) and negative symptoms (paraesthesia and numbness) of diabetic neuropathy were greater in PDN compared with DPN ( P = .009 and P = .02, respectively). Serum 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in PDN (24.0 ± 14.1 ng/mL) compared with DPN (34.6 ± 15.0 ng/mL, P = .01) and controls (34.1 ± 8.6 ng/mL, P = .03). The odds ratio in favour of painful diabetic neuropathy was 9.8 [ P = .003 (95% CI, 2.2–76.4)] for vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL) and 4.4 [ P = .03 (95% CI, 1.1‐19.8)] for vitamin D insufficiency (<30 ng/mL). Conclusions This study suggests that vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are associated with painful diabetic neuropathy.