Correlation between Vitamin D deficiency and nonspecific chronic low back pain: A retrospective observational study.
J Family Med Prim Care 2021;
10:893-897. [PMID:
34041094 PMCID:
PMC8138361 DOI:
10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1478_20]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT
Chronic lower back pain (CLBP) and Vitamin D deficiency are two common conditions presenting to primary care physicians.
AIMS
To study the vitamin D status in North Indians presenting with nonspecific CLBP and the correlation between vitamin D levels and pain severity by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).
SETTINGS AND DESIGN
An observational study. Record of all CLBP patients presenting to the outpatient department in 2019, were analyzed, retrospectively.
METHODS AND MATERIALS
All the patients of age 18 to 65 and either sex with nonspecific CLBP were included. Patients were divided into two: Vitamin D deficient (Group 1) and normal (Group 2) with cut off Serum Vitamin D values at 30 ng/mL. Demographic data and Visual Analogue Scale scores (VAS) of both groups were recorded.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED
Correlations between Vitamin D values and VAS scores were investigated using the Spearman coefficient, and the results with P of ≤ 0.05 were contemplated significant.
RESULTS
Of total 376 patients with nonspecific CLBP, the majority were adults, females, married, vegetarians, overweight or obese, and had a mean sun exposure time of two hours. Vitamin D deficient Group 1 had 302 (80.32%) patients with significantly lower (P < 0.0001) mean vitamin D levels compared to Group 2 (74 patients i.e., 19.68%). Spearman's rho coefficient between vitamin D and VAS, showed a negative correlation (-0.554), with a P value < 0.00001.
CONCLUSIONS
This study indicated a high probability of vitamin D deficiency in the nonspecific CLBP population and a negative correlation between vitamin D status and pain severity.
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