Abstract

The aim of the present study was to assess the deficiency of vitamin B12 in the patients of type 2 diabetes mellitus with peripheral neuropathy and its correlation. Methods: The participants for the present study were recruited from patients with T2DM seen in the South Eastern Railway Central Hospital, Kolkata. The study was conducted for two years. Results: Patients with diabetic neuropathy were older as majority had age between 61-70 years (55.40%) compared to those without neuropathy (majority had age between 51-60 years; 39.80%). The sex distribution between group was significantly different as revealed by the highly significant p value of <0.001. 9.60% of the patients with diabetes neuropathy had vitamin B 12 deficiency compared to control group (1.20%). Diabetes neuropathy patients had mean Vitamin B12 (471.33±168.992), diabetes with no neuropathy patients (479.11±208.121). Subjects in control group had higher Vitamin B12 level compared to remaining two groups. Conclusion: Vitamin B12 deficiency is highly prevalent, especially in patients with diabetic neuropathy. In this study an inverse correlation was found between diabetic neuropathy and the plasma level of vitamin B12. The association between diabetic neuropathy and Vitamin B12 deficiency is of great importance, since diabetic or prediabetic patients diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy may have neuropathy due to vitamin B12 deficiency.

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