Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences

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THE FREQUENCY OF VITAMIN B12 DEFICIENCY IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS TREATED WITH METFORMIN FOR AT LEAST FIVE YEARS

ELENA CRISTINA CRĂCIUN 1#*, DANIEL CORNELIU LEUCUŢA 2#, SIMINA FELICIA
ŢĂRMURE 3#, ILINCA COPCEA 4, ADRIAN COPCEA 5, RODICA ANA UNGUR 6, IOANA PARA 3

1Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry and Clinical Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, „Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 8 Victor Babeș Street, 400012, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
2Department of Medical Informatics and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, „Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 8 Victor Babeș Street, 400012, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
3Department of Internal Medicine 4th Medical Clinic, Faculty of Medicine, „Iuliu Haţieganu” University of Medicine and
Pharmacy, 8 Victor Babeș Street, 400012, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
4Clinical Center for Diabetes, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases, 2 Clinicilor Street, 400006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
5Asteco Medical Center, 105 Constantin Brâncuşi Street, 400458, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
6Department of Medical Specialties, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Haţieganu" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 8 Victor
Babeș Street, 400012, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

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This study was carried out in order to determine the frequency of vitamin B12 deficiency in Romanian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), treated with metformin for at least five years. The study group included 39 T2DM patients and 33 control subjects. A complete blood count was performed and serum vitamin B12 concentration was determined. The T2DM patients on metformin had statistically significant lower levels of B12 vitamin, adjusted for age and gender, and of haemoglobin compared to control subjects. Older patients, as well as male patients, had statistically significant lower B12 vitamin levels. No statistically significant association was found between the vitamin B12 level and the duration of metformin treatment. These results suggest the importance of assessing vitamin B12 status in T2DM patients treated with metformin on long term.