Getachew Seid
Ethiopian public health institute, Ethiopia
Title: Status of Vitamin B12 deficiency among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients on metformin treatment
Biography
Biography: Getachew Seid
Abstract
Background: Metformin is a standard therapy, most commonly prescribed oral hypoglycemic agent for individuals with type2 diabetes (T2DM). Many studies also documented the association between long-term metformin use and low vitamin B12 levels among individuals with T2DM.To the best of our knowledge, studies on the association between long term metformin use and low vitamin B12 levels among individuals with T2DM are scarcely found in Ethiopia.
Objective: To determine the status of vitamin B12 deficiency and associated risk factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients taking metformin treatment attending diabetic clinic of the Tikur Anbesa Specialized Hospital (TASH), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Methods: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 01/ 2017 to June 30/2017 at diabetic clinic of TASH. The study participants were all patients with a diagnosis of T2DM on follow up at the clinic during the study period and having a baseline data. Blood samples were collected and Vitamin B12 levels were determined by cobas e411 analyzer by electro chemiluminescence immunoassay. Neuropathy Total Symptom Score-6 questionnaire (NTSS-6 scores) was used to compare severity of PN in both groups. Finally data was entered and analyzed through SPSS version 20 computer software packages. Results: Serum B12 levels were low in 15 patients (21.1%) on metformin as compared to 2 patients (4.0%) without metformin treatment. Mean B12 level on metformin were found to be 331.58 pg/ml(± 134.48) as compare to those without metformin 482.23pg/ml(± 235.24), the difference was statistically significant with p value 0.000. A strong negative correlation between serum B12 levels and the duration of metformin use (r = -0.608; P = 0.000) was seen.
Conclusion: Among patients with T2DM treated with metformin had low serum B12 levels than patients not treated by metformin with significant effect of metformin dose and duration on B12 levels. The deficiency was not associated with peripheral neuropathy.