Vitamin D deficiency may have role in chronic low back pain

doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7508.109-a

BMJ 2005;331:109 (9 July), doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7508.109-a

Letter

Vitamin D deficiency may have role in chronic low back pain

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—The optimal management of patients with chroniclow back pain remains a challenge for healthcare services, asdiscussed by Koes,¹ but the importance of vitamin D is not widelyappreciated.

Many studies have shown the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiencyin various populations. For example, 93% of 150 patients presentingto a university affiliated inner city primary care clinic inMinneapolis with persistent, non-specific musculoskeletal painhad deficient concentrations of vitamin D.²

Most patients (83%) attending spinal and internal medicine clinicsin Saudi Arabia over six years who had experienced low backpain that had no obvious cause for more than six months hadan abnormally low level of vitamin D.³ After treatment withvitamin D supplements, clinical improvement in symptoms wasseen in all of those who had a low initial concentration ofvitamin D. The authors concluded that screening (of patientswith chronic low back . . . [Full text of this article]

Peter J Lewis, integrative physician

15 South Steyne, Manly, NSW 2095, Australia drlewis@yourhealth.com.au