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Glucose regulation and association with Vitamin D and parathyroid hormone – differences across Middle Eastern and Caucasian ethnicities

Dhaher, Nadine Fadhel LU ; Wändell, Per LU and Bennet, Louise LU orcid (2025) In Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders 24.
Abstract

Background: Middle Eastern (ME) immigrants to Europe have a heavy burden of metabolic disorders including a higher prevalence of insulin resistance, T2D and obesity as compared to native-born Europeans. Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are prevalent conditions in people originating from the ME. Aims: To study the differences in the levels of 25(OH)D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) across ME and European ethnicity, and the effect of 25(OH)D and PTH on insulin action and secretion. Methods: Vitamin D and PTH levels were assessed in a population-based cohort of 918 participants (449 Swedes and 469 Iraqis) aged 30–75 years. The differences between the groups in the adjusted levels of Vitamin D and PTH were studied using multiple... (More)

Background: Middle Eastern (ME) immigrants to Europe have a heavy burden of metabolic disorders including a higher prevalence of insulin resistance, T2D and obesity as compared to native-born Europeans. Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are prevalent conditions in people originating from the ME. Aims: To study the differences in the levels of 25(OH)D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) across ME and European ethnicity, and the effect of 25(OH)D and PTH on insulin action and secretion. Methods: Vitamin D and PTH levels were assessed in a population-based cohort of 918 participants (449 Swedes and 469 Iraqis) aged 30–75 years. The differences between the groups in the adjusted levels of Vitamin D and PTH were studied using multiple regression analysis. Differences in insulin action and secretion, in relation to risk markers including Vitamin D and PTH, were assessed using multiple regression analysis. Results: Vitamin D and PTH adjusted levels differed significantly between the groups; 92% of the Iraqi-born versus 45% of the Swedish-born individuals had Vitamin D levels below 50 nmol/L. The mean levels of PTH (SD) were higher in Iraqi-born compared to native Swedish-born (5.1 (2.3) vs. 3.8 (1.6) pmol/L, p = < 0.001). Insulin sensitivity was lower in Iraqi-born (79.16 vs. 98.97, β -0.085, 95% CI −.163 to −.007) but after adjustment for the confounding effect of Vitamin D, the differences in insulin action observed between the groups were no longer significant. Conclusion: The ethnic differences in insulin action could be explained by differences in the levels of Vitamin D.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Insulin action, Insulin secretion, Middle East, Migration, Parathyroid hormone, Vitamin D
in
Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders
volume
24
article number
15
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • pmid:39712337
  • scopus:85212753746
ISSN
2251-6581
DOI
10.1007/s40200-024-01543-y
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2024.
id
c71873ab-6bbb-477a-bc41-e940ec552c21
date added to LUP
2025-01-12 09:27:59
date last changed
2025-07-14 00:01:55
@article{c71873ab-6bbb-477a-bc41-e940ec552c21,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Middle Eastern (ME) immigrants to Europe have a heavy burden of metabolic disorders including a higher prevalence of insulin resistance, T2D and obesity as compared to native-born Europeans. Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency are prevalent conditions in people originating from the ME. Aims: To study the differences in the levels of 25(OH)D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) across ME and European ethnicity, and the effect of 25(OH)D and PTH on insulin action and secretion. Methods: Vitamin D and PTH levels were assessed in a population-based cohort of 918 participants (449 Swedes and 469 Iraqis) aged 30–75 years. The differences between the groups in the adjusted levels of Vitamin D and PTH were studied using multiple regression analysis. Differences in insulin action and secretion, in relation to risk markers including Vitamin D and PTH, were assessed using multiple regression analysis. Results: Vitamin D and PTH adjusted levels differed significantly between the groups; 92% of the Iraqi-born versus 45% of the Swedish-born individuals had Vitamin D levels below 50 nmol/L. The mean levels of PTH (SD) were higher in Iraqi-born compared to native Swedish-born (5.1 (2.3) vs. 3.8 (1.6) pmol/L, p = &lt; 0.001). Insulin sensitivity was lower in Iraqi-born (79.16 vs. 98.97, β <sup>-</sup>0.085, 95% CI <sup>−.1</sup>63 to <sup>−.0</sup>07) but after adjustment for the confounding effect of Vitamin D, the differences in insulin action observed between the groups were no longer significant. Conclusion: The ethnic differences in insulin action could be explained by differences in the levels of Vitamin D.</p>}},
  author       = {{Dhaher, Nadine Fadhel and Wändell, Per and Bennet, Louise}},
  issn         = {{2251-6581}},
  keywords     = {{Insulin action; Insulin secretion; Middle East; Migration; Parathyroid hormone; Vitamin D}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{Journal of Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders}},
  title        = {{Glucose regulation and association with Vitamin D and parathyroid hormone – differences across Middle Eastern and Caucasian ethnicities}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s40200-024-01543-y}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s40200-024-01543-y}},
  volume       = {{24}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}