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Nutrition Research for Doctors
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Vitamin D - Low Back Pain
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Faraj SA, Mutairi KA. Vitamin D Deficiency and Chronic Low Back Pain in Saudi Arabia. Spine 2003; 28:177-179.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the contribution of vitamin D deficiency as a cause for idiopathic chronic low back pain, to find a simple and sensitive test for screening patients with low back pain for vitamin D deficiency, and to determine the correlation between the vitamin deficiency and pain.
The study included 360 patients (90% women and 10% men) attending spinal and internal medicine clinics over a 6-year period who had experienced low back pain that had no obvious cause for more than 6 months.
The patients ranged in age from 15 to 52 years.
A biochemical assay of serum calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, and 25-hydroxy vitamin D level was performed before and after treatment with vitamin D supplements.
Results:
Findings showed that 83% of the study patients (n - 299) had an abnormally low level of vitamin D before treatment with vitamin D supplements.
After treatment, clinical improvement in symptoms was seen in all the groups that had a low level of vitamin D, and in 95% of all the patients (n - 341).
Conclusions:
Vitamin D deficiency is a major contributor to chronic low back pain in areas where vitamin D deficiency is endemic.
Screening for vitamin D deficiency and treatment with supplements should be mandatory in this setting.
Measurement of serum 25-OH cholecalciferol is sensitive and specific for detection of vitamin D deficiency.
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