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Low vitamin D levels linked to persistent diabetes after gastric bypass

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ORLANDO, Fla. — Patients with diabetes and vitamin D deficiency who undergo gastric bypass are more likely to experience persistent diabetes after the procedure, according to data presented at Digestive Disease Week.

Researchers performed retrospective analysis of data from 203 patients with type 2 diabetes who received laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery between January 2005 and December 2011 at a single medical facility. Evaluated factors included demographic information, medication use and levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D and HbA1c assessed during a mean follow-up of 2.8 years. The mean diabetes duration for the cohort (mean age, 49.8 years; 74.5% women; 89.2% Caucasian) was 7.9 years.

“A growing body of evidence links vitamin D deficiency to obesity, as well as metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance,” the researchers wrote. “Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency is common in patients after gastric bypass surgery, though little is known about its relationship to glycemic control in this population.”

About 25% of patients received pharmacologic therapy for diabetes and/or high levels of HbA1c at completion of follow-up. Low postoperative vitamin D levels (<30 ng/mL) were consistently observed in 13% of the cohort. Participants with low vitamin D were significantly more likely to experience persistent postoperative diabetes than those with higher levels (RR=2.24; 95% CI, 1.31-3.88).

“Among patients who have type 2 diabetes at the time of gastric bypass surgery, those who go on to continue to have abnormal vitamin D levels are at twice the risk of nonremission of their diabetes,” researcher Andrew A. Taitano, MD, Albany Medical Center in Albany, N.Y., told Healio.com. “Vitamin d deficiency is prevalent in this population. Standardized monitoring and supplementation should be recommended.”

Taitano said preoperative vitamin D levels and supplementation doses following gastric bypass were not presented, and that future research would include a prospective trial comparing intensive vitamin D supplementation to standard therapy.

For more information:
Taitano AA. Tu1588: Vitamin D Deficiency Is a Risk Factor for Persistent Type 2 Diabetes After Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass. Presented at: Digestive Disease Week 2013; May 18-21, Orlando, Fla.