Vitamin B status in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with and without incipient nephropathy.

Aim: To investigate the vitamin B status, with particular focus on vitamin B6, in adults with and without incipient nephropathy secondary to type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Plasma and/or urine concentrations of vitamins B₆, B₁, B₁₂, related vitamers and biomarkers (including total homocysteine, methylmalonic acid) were measured in 120 adults with type 2 diabetes (including 46 patients with microalbuminuria) and 52 non-diabetic control subjects.

Results: Plasma concentrations of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) were significantly lower in patients with type 2 diabetes than in control subjects (median: 22.