2006, Volume 12 No. 1

ARTICLE 6

Effect of Glycaemic Control on Serum Retinol and Beta Carotene Levels in Type 2 Diabetics in Calabar, Nigeria

Usoro CAO¹, Echeji DC¹, Usoro IN² and Nsonwu AC^1
1 Department of Chemical Pathology, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Niger
² Department of Surgery, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Nigeria

ABSTRACT
The study aimed to determine the effect of glycaemic control on serum retinol and beta-carotene levels in diabetics and non-diabetics. Fasting blood glucose (FBS), glycated haemoglobin (HbAlc), serum retinol and beta-carotene levels were estimated using colorimetric methods in 100 diabetic subjects and 65 agematched non-diabetic controls. The body mass index (BMI) of all subjects was determined. The mean FBS, HbAlc, retinol and beta-carotene levels were significantly (p<0.05) higher in diabetics than in non-diabetic subjects. No significant (p>0.05) difference was observed in the serum retinol and betacarotene levels in diabetics with poor glycaemic control and those with good control. A significant negative correlation (p<0.01, r=-0.314) was observed between HbAlc and serum retinol levels of the diabetic population. Age, sex, BMI and duration of diabetes do not have any significant (p>0.05) effect on the serum retinol and beta-carotene levels in all the subjects. Diabetics have higher levels of retinol and beta-carotene perhaps as a result of high dietary intake. This study found that glycaemic control and duration of diabetes do not seem to affect the metabolism of vitamin A.

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