Serum Vitamin D and Proinflammatory Markers Correlate Inversely in Overweight Postmenopausal Women with Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background/Objectives: The global burden caused by high body mass index (BMI) particularly in postmenopausal (PMP) women is increasing significantly and is expected to be increasing in geographical and socioeconomic perspectives. Serum vitamin D (vitD) and pro-inflammatory factors influence the development and progression of T2DM particularly in overweight (OW)/obese PMP women. However, since there are controversies about the impact and interactive association of vitD with some of the pro-inflammatory biomarkers (interleukin-6 (IL-6), homocysteine (Hcy) and others) and therapeutic significance of vitD in OW women in PMP with T2DM, we planned to carry out study in NW and OW women with/ without T2DM in PMP. Methods: The normal weight (NW, BMI: 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2) and OW (n: BMI: 25.0 to29.9 kg/m2) nondiabetic (ND, n: 199) and T2DM (n: 197) women in PMP (age range: 51-60 years) were consulted. The women subjects (n: 396) were categorized into NW-ND (n: 101), OW-ND (n:98), NW-DM (n:101) and OW-DM (n:96). Fasting blood samples were collected for the determination of serum levels of vitD, IL-6, Hcy, hemoglobin (HB) and hepcidin (Hp). Results: The present report in PMP women with and without T2DM showed significant difference of serum vitD for NW-ND vs. OW-ND, NW-DM vs. OW-DM, and NW-ND vs. NW-DM, Hcy for OW-ND vs. OW-DM and NW-DM vs. OW-DM and IL-6 for OW-ND vs. OW-DM and NW-DM vs. OW-DM. Among-groups comparison showed significant variation of serum vitD, Hcy and IL-6. A significant negative linear correlation of BMI was obtained against vitD for OW-ND and OW-DM. A significant positive linear correlation of BMI was found against Hcy as well as IL-6 for OW-ND and OW-DM. A significant inverse linear correlation of vitD was obtained against Hcy for OW-DM, and against IL-6 for NW-ND, NW-DM and OW-DM. Hcy plot with IL-6 levels showed significant positive linear correlation for NW-DM, OW-ND and OW-DM. Conclusions: The results obtained for the alterations noted for serum vitD, proinflammatory biomarkers (Hcy and IL-6) and other variables in the present investigation in PMP women (NW and OW) with T2DM, and associations among these factors are quite convincing to introduce a novel therapeutic approach based on vitD and proinflammatory markers for T2DM patients of high BMI levels.