Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency and Its Association With PTH and Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus ( T1DM ) in a Multicultural Pediatric Population in the United Arab Emirates, 2023

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: The vitamin D and parathyroid pathways are intrinsically linked to the regulation of calcium levels within a physiological range. Type 1 Diabetic patients are in turn theoretically impacted by these factors due to insulin's dependence on calcium for its function. This paper investigates the relationship between Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, vitamin D deficiency, and parathyroid hormone levels in the pediatric population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with 102 participants aged 3-18 years old who were selected from Salama and Cerner patient databases at Al Jalila Children's Specialty Hospital (Dubai Health). Inclusion criteria for selection were based on participants' Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus status and Hemoglobin A1c levels. Furthermore, other factors such as phosphate levels, calcium levels, and comorbidities were collected. RESULTS: The prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency was 73.3%, with 63.2% of patients reporting normal parathyroid hormone levels. There was no significant correlation between vitamin D and parathyroid hormone levels (χ = 7.7, p = 0.103). Of the diabetic patients with insufficient vitamin D levels and normal parathyroid hormone levels, 83.3% had normal calcium levels (χ = 22.986, p = 0.028). There was no significant correlation between vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and other factors such as phosphate levels, vitamin D supplementation, and comorbidities. CONCLUSION: Type 1 Diabetes pediatric patients exhibited the ability to regulate calcium homeostasis through parathyroid hormone regulation despite having insufficient vitamin D levels. However, such compensatory mechanisms may manifest as long-term complications without early intervention. Further investigations should be conducted to investigate the causal pathways.