The results demonstrate the high prevalence of patients with low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, specifically in healthy weight and Caucasian children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes-- patients previously considered at no or low risk of having low levels of vitamin D. These data underscore the importance of vitamin D screening in all children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. The team's findings have been published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice.

"To our knowledge this is the first study that has been adequately-powered to examine the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and HbA1c (a measure of diabetes control) in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes," said Lipman and colleagues. "These data suggest the need for monitoring of vitamin D in all youth with this disorder."

The study included about 200 children and adolescents from the Diabetes Center for Children at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, who were recruited during regular follow up visits. Non-fasting blood samples were collected from the participants to measure 25-hydroxyvitamin D and blood glucose levels. HbA1c and other key variables were abstracted from patients' medical records.

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Journal Reference:

1. Sarah Al Sawah, Charlene W. Compher, Alexandra L. Hanlon, Terri H. Lipman. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and glycemic control: A cross-sectional study of children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice, 2016; 115: 54 DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2016.03.002