Evaluation of Serum Vitamin B12 Levels in Type 2 Diabetes Patients Metformin Treated

Vitamin B-12 deficiency is a condition characterized by neurological or haematological abnormalities, and may occur after treatment with metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes. We evaluated 119 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, treated with oral antidiabetic agents. The parameters evaluated were: vitamin B-12 intake, anthropometric data, disease history, neuropathic complications evaluation (using MNSI), serum vitamin B-12, glycated hemoglobin, erythrocyte indices. Vitamin B-12 deficiency was defined at values below 194 pg/mL. We have found a prevalence of vitamin B-12 deficiency of 13.9% in the patients treated with metformin (10.9% in all participants). B-12 levels were not correlated with age, metformin dose or duration of treatment. Patients using B-12 supplements had higher B-12 serum levels (472.50 vs. 329.22, p <= 0.05).