Albuminuria Reduction after High Dose of Vitamin D in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND Some studies suggest an association between diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and vitamin D (VD), but there is no data about the effect of high dose of VD on DKD in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Our pilot study aims to evaluate albuminuria reduction in patients with T1DM supplemented with high dose of VD. METHODS 22 patients received doses of 4,000 and 10,000 IU/day of cholecalciferol for 12 weeks according to patient's previous VD levels. They were submitted to continuous glucose monitoring system, 24 hours ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio before and after VD supplementation. RESULTS There was a reduction of DKD prevalence at the end of the study (68 vs 32%; p = 0.05), with no changes on insulin doses, glycated hemoglobin, glycemic variability and blood pressure values. A correlation between percentage variation of VD levels (ΔVD) and albuminuria at the end of the study was presented (r = -0.5; p < 0.05). Among T1DM patients with DKD at the beginning of the study, 8/13 (62%) had their DKD stage improved, while the other five ones (38%) showed no changes (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Our pilot study suggests an association between VD high dose supplementation, lower prevalence and improvement in stages of DKD in T1DM.