Presence and absence of carbohydrate metabolism disorders as a factor influencing development of vitamin B12 deficiency

Objective. To study the significance of the presence and absence of carbohydrate metabolism disorders as a factor affecting the development of vitamin B₁₂ deficiency.

Materials and methods. The data of 206 subjects, forming two main groups were analyzed: the group of carbohydrate metabolism disorders (CMDs), which included 76 women and 71 men (n = 147); the control group, which included 33 women and 26 men (n = 59). The inclusion criteria were the following: age over 35, availability of anamnestic data on pharmacotherapy, availability of data to clarify the state of carbohydrate metabolism, availability of data on vitamin B₁₂ and some other biochemical indices. Vitamin B₁₂ levels > 221 pmol / l were considered normal, vitamin B₁₂ levels from 148 pmol / l to 221 pmol/l were considered borderline (or mild deficiency), and levels of 148 pmol / l or less were considered severe vitamin B₁₂ deficiency.

Results. The group of absent carbohydrate metabolism disorders included 59 persons and the group of carbohydrate metabolism disorders (CMDs) included T2DM patients (n = 123) and individuals with prediabetes (n = 24), i.e. the total number of the examined persons in CMD group was equal to 147. The average level of vitamin B₁₂ in the control group (n = 59) was 401.6 ± and 138.06 pmol / l, and in CMD group (n = 147) it was equal to 342.1 ± 133.10 pmol/l. The differences between the groups were statistically significant (p < 0.01), that suggested the significance of CMDs as a risk factor for vitamin B₁₂ deficiency. Vitamin B₁₂ deficiency was combined with the presence of CMDs in 32 (21.8 %) cases. In 115 cases (78.2 %), the presence of CMDs was combined with the absence of vitamin B₁₂ deficiency. In 8 cases (13.5 %), there were no CMDs, but there was vitamin B₁₂ deficiency. In 51 cases (86.4 %), no CMDs and vitamin B₁₂ deficiency was noted.

Conclusions. Despite the presence of a statistically significant decrease in vitamin B₁₂ levels in CMD group (342.1 ± 133.10 pmol / l vs 401.6 ± and 138.06 pmol/ l; p < 0.01) and a high incidence rate of vitamin B₁₂ deficiency in CMD group (21.8 % and 13.5 %, respectively), the study results do not allow us to consider the presence of CMDs to be the risk factor for vitamin B₁₂ deficiency.