A Study On The Prevalence Of Vitamin B12 Deficiency In Eastern Indian Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients With Peripheral Neuropathy On Metformin Presenting To A Tertiary Care Hospital

Authors

Ajay Hanumanthu, JSS Academy of Higher Education and ResearchFollow
Soumik Goswami, NRS Medical College, KolkataFollow
Kavya Bhadrapura Thimmegowda, JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, MysuruFollow
Nilanjan Sengupta, NRS Medical College, KolkataFollow
Arjun Baidya, NRS Medical College, KolkataFollow
Pranab Kumar Sahana, SSKM, KolkataFollow

Author ORCID Identifier

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1728-2663

Abstract

Introduction:

The association between long-term metformin use in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and low vitamin B12 levels has been proven and screening for the same is recommended by American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines. The potential of the deficiency to cause or worsen diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in T2DM patients has been investigated in previous studies. However, the prevalence estimates of vitamin B12 deficiency in T2DM patients treated with long term metformin and having established DPN is lacking in our country. The aim of our study was to estimate the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in T2DM patients with DPN on metformin and find out the risk factors for vitamin B12 deficiency in these patients.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study was conducted in the department of endocrinology in a tertiary care hospital on T2DM patients with DPN on long term metformin therapy. Vitamin B12 levels were estimated in all the subjects and the prevalence and risk factors for Vitamin B12 deficiency were assessed.

Results:

The prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in our patients was 32%. Based on the correlation estimates, none of the factors studied were significantly associated with variations in Vitamin B12 levels.

Conclusion:

Our study found that a third of metformin treated T2DM patients with peripheral neuropathy had vitamin B12 deficiency with no specific clinical predictor for the same. We thereby recommend screening for vitamin B12 deficiency in T2DM patients on long-term metformin and with established DPN.

Publication Date

2023

Publisher

Ajay Hanumanthu

First Page

102

Last Page

113

Keywords

Vitamin B12 deficiency Distal Peripheral Neuropathy Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Metformin

Word Count

1423

Recommended Citation

Hanumanthu A, Goswami S, Thimmegowda KB, Sengupta N, Baidya A, Sahana PK. A Study On The Prevalence Of Vitamin B12 Deficiency In Eastern Indian Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients With Peripheral Neuropathy On Metformin Presenting To A Tertiary Care Hospital. Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2023; 5(3): 102-113. doi: https://doi.org/10.55691/2582-3868.1138

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