Type 2 Diabetes mellitus T2DM has been suggested to be the most common
metabolic disorder associated with magnesium deficiency which has many adverse
outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate plasma Mg in 126 T2DM patients
recruited from Dia
betes Centre in Lattakia, compare them to 70 healthy individuals, and
assess the correlation between plasma Mg and HbA1c as a glycemic control biomarker.
Magnesium was measured using xylidyl blue colorimetric method. HbA1c was measured
using ion-exchange resin separation. The SPSS 19.0 software was used for statistical
analysis. Mean plasma Mg concentrations of the diabetics was significantly lower than
controls (P=0.0001). Plasma magnesium was negatively correlated with HbA1c (r=-0.5,
P=0.0002). Plasma magnesium was below the normal reference range (1.9-2.5 mg/dL) in
47.6% of diabetics and 28.6% of controls. In conclusion, it is important to monitor Mg
levels in both T2DM patients and non-diabetics and take procedures to correct
hypomagnesaemia states.
The study included 184 patients with type 2 diabetes referred to the specialist clinic or admitted in the sections of Al-Assad University Hospital in Damascus during the years 2012-2013.
The patients were divided into three groups: Group A: a group of patients with diabetes is not treated with Metformin, 72 patients (39,1%). Group B: a group of patients with diabetes is treated with Metformin for more than 18 months, 72 patients (39,1%). Group C: a group of patients with diabetes is treated with Metformin for less than 6 months, 40 patients (21,8%). This study showed that 43,5% of the patients have Vit B12 deficiency: 32,6% of patients with diabetes treated with Metformin compared with 10,9% non treated with Metformin. The patients who were treated with Metformin (112 patients) were divided by dose intake and then depending on the duration of treatment into two groups for each category and shown an inverse correlation between duration and dose of therapy with metformin and levels of Vit B12.
We also found that despite the increased risk of Vit B12 deficiency in patients with diabetes treated with Metformin but this was not associated with the occurrence of symptoms such as megaloplastic anemia and neurological symptoms.
