Prevalence of Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Libyan Type 2 Diabetic Patients Treated with Metformin

Metformin is the most-used drug in type 2 diabetes mellitus management and its long-term use may consequent to vitamin B12 deficiency. The lack of studies from Libya investigating the risk of association between these two presents a gap in our understanding of this issue. Our study aimed to estimate the prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency in metformin treated diabetic patients and non-metformin treated patients and its correlation with diabetic duration and gender. Specifically, we tested the hypothesis that T2DM patients treated with metformin exhibit a decrease in vitamin B12 levels and are considered at risk for developing B12 deficiency depending on the diabetic duration and metformin use. A total of 81 samples of metformin treated diabetic patients (N=58) and non-metformin diabetic treated patients (N=23) were collected and underwent assessment of F.B.S, HbA1c and B12 level. The total mean age was 46.4± 8.27 (47.25± 9.22 for males and 45.55± 7.32 for males respectively). Total mean and standard deviation of blood glucose level was 173.93± 29.87 mg/dl (158.25± 27.35 and 184.18± 27.06 for males and females, respectively). Total mean and standard deviation HbA1c level was 6.81± 1.98% (5.94± 1.31 and 7.37± 2.14 for males and females, respectively). Total mean and standard deviation of vitamin B12 level was 435.53± 251.31 (575.62± 250.21 and 342.76± 205.91 for males and females, respectively). Our study indicated that the shortage of vitamin B12 was generally found in our population, insufficient vitamin B12 level was frequently reported in metformin administration to patients with T2DM and could progress into deficiency. Further larger studies are required to assess vitamin B12 level in those patients.