Deficiency of Vitamin D: Influence on Diabetic Retinopathy and Hearing Loss Among Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

Objective: To find a relationship between serum level of vitamin D with diabetic retinopathy and hearing loss in patients with diabetes mellitus type2. Study design and setting: This cross-sectional study was carried out at Ophthalmology, ENT and family physician Outpatient clinic of Mohsin Consultant Clinic Federal B Area, Karachi from study was April 2019 to December 2019. Methodology: Total 181 eligible type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. Complete ophthalmological, ENT and physical evaluation was carried out. Retinopathy and hearing status were recorded and were compared to serum 25-OH Vitamin D levels to find any association. SPSS version 23.0 was used to analyze the data. Results: Mean age of participants were found to be 60.56±7.3 (SD). When diabetic retinopathy status and hearing status was compared, non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy patients with normal hearing were 24(42.1%), with mild hearing 32(56.1%) and only 1(1.8%) with moderate-severe hearing loss was observed with P-value of <0.0001. Retinopathy status was compared with vitamin D levels. Insufficiency was seen in 14(38.9%) non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, 2(5.6%) proliferative diabetic retinopathy patients and deficiency level was found in 33(32.7%) non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy and 15(14.9%) proliferative diabetic retinopathy patients. Level of vitamin D was compared to DR and HL status. Significantly low level of vitamin D was found with increasing severity of DR and HL with P-value <0.0001. Conclusions: Low level of vitamin D was associated with the severity of diabetic retinopathy and hearing loss in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus type2