Investigation of neuropathic pain in women with low vitamin D levels

Abstract

Objectives: Besides the known metabolic effects of vitamin D, its role in modulation of pain is controversial. In our study, we aimed to investigate the possible relationship between demographic data and some biochemical values of blood who has in female patients with low vitamin D levels and neuropathic pain. Methods:The data of the patients who applied to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Polyclinic between January 2017 and January 2018 were evaluated retrospectively. Seventy-nine female patients with low vitamin D levels who met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. The painDETECT pain questionnaire was used to evaluate the presence of neuropathic pain. According to this questionnaire, the patients were divided into three groups as no neuropathic pain, suspicious, and present.Results: Neuropathic pain component was detected by the painDETECT questionnaire in 15 (19%) of the female patients with low vitamin D levels. There was no statistically significant difference between neuropathic pain groups and age, education levels, number of births, body mass index as well as plasma values of vitamin D, alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone, and calcium in female patients with low vitamin D levels. Conclusion:In this retrospective study, we observed similar biochemical data in patients with different degrees of neuropathic pain and low vitamin D levels. We think that it can be prospectively investigated whether vitamin D supplementation will make a difference in treatment the patients with low vitamin D levels and neuropathic pain.