Impact of Vitamin D Deficiency and VDR TaqI Polymorphism on Diabetic Retinopathy Risk Among T2DM Ethiopian Population

Many studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D receptor TaqI gene polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to diabetic retinopathy in various populations. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D receptor TaqI gene polymorphism on the risk of diabetic retinopathy complications in T2DM at the Debre Tabor Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. 153 diabetic retinopathy patients and 153 healthy controls participated in an age- and sex-matched hospital-based case control study. To determine the related risk factors, demographic and clinical data were assessed. DNA was extracted from blood samples and subjected to polymerase chain reaction and agarose gel electrophoresis analysis to determine the TaqI genotypes. Vitamin D deficiency was detected in our investigation, and it was much more prevalent in patients than in controls (OR = 6.34, 95% CI = 3.85–10.42; p < 0.001). Moreover, both the TaqI tt genotype (OR: 2.18; 95% CI: 1.20–3.97; p = 0.010) and t allele (OR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.19–2.30; p = 0.002) were substantially more prevalent in patients than in controls, indicating that it may be a major risk factor for the development of diabetic retinopathy. The findings point to a potential link between vitamin D deficiency and diabetic retinopathy complications. Moreover, TaqI gene polymorphisms have been linked to an increased risk of developing the disease in the Ethiopian population under study.