Assessment of vitamin B12 deficiency and associated risk factors among type 2 diabetic patients in Palestine

Metformin usage can lead to Vitamin B12 deficiency which can have an impact on neuropathy and lead to further complications. The current study aims to address the prevalence of low serum vitamin B12 level among type 2 diabetic patients in Ramallah district and to determine the factors associated with it. The study comprised a total sample size of 400 patients and all the participants gave their informed consent. Relevant medical history and laboratory data were obtained from the medical records of the patients. A questionnaire was taken from the participants directly by the researcher. Statistical analysis was done by SPSS, version 23. The results show that (60.5%) of the diabetic patients were obese. The majority of patients (62.8%) had dyslipidemia, (59.8%) hypertension and (12%) hyperthyroidism. (36.5%) complained of numbness, (13.8%) memory changes, and (6.5%) of mood changes. Only (21.5%) had diabetic retinopathy, (5.3%) had diabetic nephropathy and nearly (10.3%) had diabetic neuropathy. It was observed that (39.5%) of participants had a low serum Vitamin B12 level. The majority of participants with low serum Vitamin B12 (38.4%) were using Metformin followed by (29.5%) who were using Insulin. There was a negative significance (p = 0.198) between low serum level of vitamin B12 and metformin treatment while a significant correlation was observed with Insulin usage (p = 0.039) and these results can be attributed to different factors. A negative significant effect was observed on the prevalence of low serum vitamin B12 level among patients who encountered different diabetic complications.