{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,24]],"date-time":"2026-09-24T01:51:48Z","timestamp":1790214708003,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":30,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,3]],"date-time":"2023-01-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1672704000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Cells"],"abstract":"<jats:p>(1) Background: Vitamin D deficiency is a common public health problem in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and globally, and interestingly, improvements in diabetic neuropathy after taking Vitamin D supplementation for a short time have been reported. Despite living in a country that is sunny all year round, hypovitaminosis D, indicated by an obvious low serum vitamin D level, has been recurrently noted in the UAE, as well as in the surrounding Arabian Gulf countries. This problem is receiving much attention and attracting clinical and academic interest. Therefore, the main objective of the present study is to identify the association, if any, between vitamin D deficiency and the development of diabetic neuropathy in the UAE population with T2DM. (2) Methods: a total of 600 Emirati patients (male and female) with T2DM, aged between 20 and 80, were recruited from University Hospital Sharjah (UHS). The medical records of the patients were reviewed and analyzed. (3) Results: The results of the present study showed that among the 600 patients, 50% were affected with diabetic neuropathy. Vitamin D level in patients with neuropathy were estimated to be around 20 ng\/mL (IQR 14\u201325), and vitamin D levels were significantly higher (33 ng\/mL (IQR 20\u201342)) among patients without neuropathy, with p &lt; 0.001. Another important finding was that patients without neuropathy had a better vitamin D status, with only 19% being deficient and 18% having insufficient vitamin D levels, compared to patients with neuropathy, where 39% were deficient (vitamin D &lt; 20 ng\/mL) and 44% had insufficient vitamin D levels (20\u201330 ng\/mL). (4) Conclusion: The findings of the present study show that the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (low serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D 25-OHD level) is significantly high in diabetic neuropathy in Emirati patients with T2DM.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/cells12010198","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,4]],"date-time":"2023-01-04T02:15:42Z","timestamp":1672798542000},"page":"198","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Investigating the Association between Diabetic Neuropathy and Vitamin D in Emirati Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"given":"Tahra","family":"Al Ali","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alizeh","family":"Ashfaq","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0482-6777","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Narjes","family":"Saheb Sharif-Askari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates"},{"name":"Sharjah Institute of Medical Research, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Salah","family":"Abusnana","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Science Department, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates"},{"name":"Diabetes and Endocrinology Department, University Hospital Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1554-6319","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bashair M.","family":"Mussa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Basic Medical Science Department, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,3]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1016\/j.diabres.2009.10.007","article-title":"Global estimates of the prevalence of diabetes for 2010 and 2030","volume":"87","author":"Shaw","year":"2010","journal-title":"Diabetes Res. Clin. Pract."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1047","DOI":"10.2337\/diacare.27.5.1047","article-title":"Global Prevalence of Diabetes","volume":"27","author":"Wild","year":"2004","journal-title":"Diabetes Care"},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"Al Sabbah, H., Alketbi, M., and Dghaim, R. (2022, September 12). Prevalence of Complications in Type 2 Diabetics in Dubai, UAE: A Cross-sectional Study. Available online: https:\/\/knepublishing.com\/index.php\/AJNE\/article\/view\/5161."},{"key":"ref_4","first-page":"2","article-title":"Prevalence and Determinants of Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Attending a Tertiary Care Center in the United Arab Emirates","volume":"5","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Diabetes Metab."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Shah, S.M., Ali, R., Loney, T., Aziz, F., ElBarazi, I., Al Dhaheri, S., Farooqi, M.H., and Blair, I. (2017). Prevalence of Diabetes among Migrant Women and Duration of Residence in the United Arab Emirates: A Cross Sectional Study. Renzaho AMN, editor. PLoS ONE, 12.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0169949"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2813","DOI":"10.2337\/diacare.27.12.2813","article-title":"Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D, Diabetes, and Ethnicity in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey","volume":"27","author":"Scragg","year":"2004","journal-title":"Diabetes Care"},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"367","article-title":"Association between Serum Vitamin D Level and Glycemic and Inflammatory Markers in Non-obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes","volume":"41","author":"Haidari","year":"2016","journal-title":"Iran. J. Med. Sci."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"707","DOI":"10.1038\/ejcn.2014.251","article-title":"Vitamin D supplementation in obese type 2 diabetes subjects in Ajman, UAE: A randomized controlled double-blinded clinical trial","volume":"69","author":"Sadiya","year":"2015","journal-title":"Eur. J. Clin. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Szymczak-Pajor, I., Drzewoski, J., and \u015aliwi\u0144ska, A. (2020). The Molecular Mechanisms by Which Vitamin D Prevents Insulin Resistance and Associated Disorders. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 21.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms21186644"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"185","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1463-1326.2007.00710.x","article-title":"Role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus","volume":"10","author":"Palomer","year":"2008","journal-title":"Diabetes Obes. Metab."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"771","DOI":"10.1001\/archinte.168.7.771","article-title":"Vitamin D as an Analgesic for Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Neuropathic Pain","volume":"168","author":"Lee","year":"2008","journal-title":"Arch. Intern. Med."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.1016\/j.annepidem.2007.12.001","article-title":"Vitamin D Status: Measurement, Interpretation, and Clinical Application","volume":"19","author":"Holick","year":"2009","journal-title":"Ann. Epidemiol."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.5114\/pm.2015.52149","article-title":"Featured paper Clinical implications of vitamin D deficiency","volume":"2","year":"2015","journal-title":"Menopausal Rev."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"380","DOI":"10.1093\/nutrit\/nux077","article-title":"Vitamin D supplementation for improvement of chronic low-grade inflammation in patients with type 2 diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials","volume":"76","author":"Mousa","year":"2018","journal-title":"Nutr. Rev."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2017","DOI":"10.1210\/jc.2007-0298","article-title":"The Role of Vitamin D and Calcium in Type 2 Diabetes. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis","volume":"92","author":"Pittas","year":"2007","journal-title":"J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1186\/s41983-018-0036-9","article-title":"Serum 25(OH) vitamin D level and its relation to diabetic peripheral neuropathy in Egyptian patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus","volume":"54","author":"Abdelsadek","year":"2018","journal-title":"Egypt. J. Neurol. Psychiatry Neurosurg."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"436","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jdiacomp.2013.04.003","article-title":"Obesity and hyperlipidemia are risk factors for early diabetic neuropathy","volume":"27","author":"Smith","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Diabetes Its Complicat."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1121","DOI":"10.1007\/s10072-015-2207-0","article-title":"An inverse association between serum vitamin D levels with the presence and severity of impaired nerve conduction velocity and large fiber peripheral neuropathy in diabetic subjects","volume":"36","author":"Alamdari","year":"2015","journal-title":"Neurol. Sci."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2012","DOI":"10.1556\/OH.2013.29769","article-title":"Vitamin D and neuropathy","volume":"154","author":"Putz","year":"2013","journal-title":"Orv. Hetil."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"503","DOI":"10.1507\/endocrj.K06-001","article-title":"Hypovitaminosis D in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Association with Microvascular Complications and Type of Treatment","volume":"53","author":"Suzuki","year":"2006","journal-title":"Endocr. J."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"537","DOI":"10.4103\/2230-8210.137512","article-title":"Vitamin D levels and microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes","volume":"18","author":"Bajaj","year":"2014","journal-title":"Indian J. Endocrinol. Metab."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"85","DOI":"10.1186\/1475-2840-11-85","article-title":"Vitamin D supplementation as an adjuvant therapy for patients with T2DM: An 18-month prospective interventional study","volume":"11","author":"Alkharfy","year":"2012","journal-title":"Cardiovasc. Diabetol."},{"key":"ref_23","first-page":"25","article-title":"The association between vitamin D level and diabetic peripheral neuropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: An update systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"9","author":"Qu","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Clin. Transl. Endocrinol."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"892","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00265373","article-title":"Serum osteocalcin levels in diabetes mellitus: Analysis of the type of diabetes and microvascular complications","volume":"31","author":"Pietschmann","year":"1988","journal-title":"Diabetologia"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1496","DOI":"10.2337\/diacare.24.8.1496","article-title":"High Prevalence of Hypovitaminosis D in Female Type 2 Diabetic Population","volume":"24","author":"Isaia","year":"2001","journal-title":"Diabetes Care"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"43","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1464-5491.2011.03510.x","article-title":"Does Vitamin D deficiency play a role in peripheral neuropathy in Type 2 diabetes?: Vitamin D deficiency and peripheral neuropathy in type 2 diabetes","volume":"29","author":"Shehab","year":"2012","journal-title":"Diabet. Med."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1007\/s13760-014-0304-0","article-title":"Decreased serum vitamin D levels are associated with diabetic peripheral neuropathy in a rural area of Turkey","volume":"115","author":"Celikbilek","year":"2015","journal-title":"Acta Neurol. Belg."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1565","DOI":"10.1093\/ajcn\/85.6.1565","article-title":"Efficacy of daily and monthly high-dose calciferol in vitamin D\u2013deficient nulliparous and lactating women","volume":"85","author":"Saadi","year":"2007","journal-title":"Am. J. Clin. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"612068","DOI":"10.3389\/fnut.2021.612068","article-title":"Severe Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated With Increased Expression of Inflammatory Cytokines in Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy","volume":"8","author":"Xiaohua","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"569","DOI":"10.2337\/dc16-2259","article-title":"Proinflammatory Cytokines Predict the Incidence and Progression of Distal Sensorimotor Polyneuropathy: KORA F4\/FF4 Study","volume":"40","author":"Herder","year":"2017","journal-title":"Diabetes Care"}],"container-title":["Cells"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2073-4409\/12\/1\/198\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T17:57:41Z","timestamp":1760119061000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2073-4409\/12\/1\/198"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,3]]},"references-count":30,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,1]]}},"alternative-id":["cells12010198"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/cells12010198","relation":{},"ISSN":["2073-4409"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2073-4409","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,1,3]]}}}