Diagnostic Value of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels in Predicting Poor Glycemic Control Among Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A ROC Curve and Decision Curve Analysis

Background/Objectives: Children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) may be particularly vulnerable to vitamin D deficiency; however, its association with glycemic control remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among children and adolescents with T1DM and to evaluate its relationship with glycemic control. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled individuals aged 1–18 years diagnosed with T1DM. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were assessed, with deficiency defined as <20 ng/mL, insufficiency as 20–29 ng/mL, and sufficiency as ≥30 ng/mL. Glycemic control was defined as HbA1c < 9.0% (controlled) versus ≥9.0% (poor control). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the independent association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with glycemic control. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and decision curve analysis (DCA) were conducted to evaluate the diagnostic and potential clinical utility of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Results: A total of 266 participants were included; their median age was 13.0 years (IQR: 10.0–15.0), with a slight male predominance (56.8%). Overall, 64.3% of patients had suboptimal 25-hydroxyvitamin D status, including 30.1% with deficiency and 34.2% with insufficiency. Patients with poor glycemic control had significantly lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels compared to those with controlled diabetes (21.0 ng/mL [IQR: 17.0–26.0] vs. 35.0 ng/mL [IQR: 28.0–45.0], p < 0.001). A strong negative correlation was observed between HbA1c and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels (Spearman’s ρ = −0.651, p < 0.001). Vitamin D insufficiency was significantly associated with poor glycemic control (aOR = 4.74, 95% CI: 2.48–9.32), while vitamin D deficiency was associated with substantially greater odds (aOR = 40.59, 95% CI: 15.55–129.23). The optimal cut-off for predicting poor control was 26.5 ng/mL, achieving a sensitivity of 75.5% and specificity of 82.2%. Decision curve analysis confirmed that the 25-hydroxyvitamin D model provided superior net benefit compared to treat-all and treat-none strategies across a threshold probability range of 32–85%. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are highly prevalent among children and adolescents with T1DM. Lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are independently associated with poorer glycemic control. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D demonstrates good diagnostic accuracy and potential clinical utility for risk stratification. Screening for 25-hydroxyvitamin D status and consideration of supplementation may serve as an adjunctive strategy to support metabolic management in this population.

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Journal
Diagnostics
Published
2026-05-28
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16111661
Primary Topic
Vitamin D Research Studies
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article
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article

Diagnostic Value of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels in Predicting Poor Glycemic Control Among Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A ROC Curve and Decision Curve Analysis

Nada Hamzah Albarqi, SalehM Alqahtani, Ayed A. Shati, Ayoub A. Alshaikh et al.
Diagnostics
Vitamin D Research Studies
article

Diagnostic Value of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels in Predicting Poor Glycemic Control Among Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A ROC Curve and Decision Curve Analysis

Nada Hamzah Albarqi, SalehM Alqahtani, Ayed A. Shati, Ayoub A. Alshaikh, Youssef A. Alqahtani, Fatmah Qasim Shamakhi, Ashwag Asiri, Ramy Mohamed Ghazy
article en

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) may be particularly vulnerable to vitamin D deficiency; however, its association with glycemic control remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among children and adolescents with T1DM and to evaluate its relationship with glycemic control. Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled individuals aged 1–18 years diagnosed with T1DM. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were assessed, with deficiency defined as <20 ng/mL, insufficiency as 20–29 ng/mL, and sufficiency as ≥30 ng/mL. Glycemic control was defined as HbA1c < 9.0% (controlled) versus ≥9.0% (poor control). Multivariable logistic regression was performed to assess the independent association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with glycemic control. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and decision curve analysis (DCA) were conducted to evaluate the diagnostic and potential clinical utility of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Results: A total of 266 participants were included; their median age was 13.0 years (IQR: 10.0–15.0), with a slight male predominance (56.8%). Overall, 64.3% of patients had suboptimal 25-hydroxyvitamin D status, including 30.1% with deficiency and 34.2% with insufficiency. Patients with poor glycemic control had significantly lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels compared to those with controlled diabetes (21.0 ng/mL [IQR: 17.0–26.0] vs. 35.0 ng/mL [IQR: 28.0–45.0], p < 0.001). A strong negative correlation was observed between HbA1c and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels (Spearman’s ρ = −0.651, p < 0.001). Vitamin D insufficiency was significantly associated with poor glycemic control (aOR = 4.74, 95% CI: 2.48–9.32), while vitamin D deficiency was associated with substantially greater odds (aOR = 40.59, 95% CI: 15.55–129.23). The optimal cut-off for predicting poor control was 26.5 ng/mL, achieving a sensitivity of 75.5% and specificity of 82.2%. Decision curve analysis confirmed that the 25-hydroxyvitamin D model provided superior net benefit compared to treat-all and treat-none strategies across a threshold probability range of 32–85%. Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency are highly prevalent among children and adolescents with T1DM. Lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are independently associated with poorer glycemic control. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D demonstrates good diagnostic accuracy and potential clinical utility for risk stratification. Screening for 25-hydroxyvitamin D status and consideration of supplementation may serve as an adjunctive strategy to support metabolic management in this population.

DiagnosticsVol. 16(11)
Ministry of Health (SA), King Khalid University (SA), Alexandria University (EG)
No poverty
Openalex Percentile: Top 6%
Vitamin D Research Studies
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