�Low vitamin D levels may contribute to chronic pain among women, suggests research promulgated ahead of print in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
The findings are based on the blood analyses and botheration scores of almost 7000 45 yr old manpower and women from across England, Scotland and Wales, all of whom were born during one calendar week in March 1958.
Smokers, non-drinkers, the overweight and the boney all reported higher rates of chronic pain.
The extent of chronic widespread pain did not vary among workforce according to vitamin D levels. However, this was not the case for women.
Women with vitamin D levels between 75 and 99 mmol/litre had the lowest rates of this type of annoyance, at just over 8%.
Women with levels of less than 25 mmol/litre had the highest rates, at 14.4%.
There appeared to be a J shaped curve, with the prevalence of widespread pain at 10% or higher among those with vitamin D levels above 99 mmol/litre.
The findings were not explained by grammatical gender differences in lifestyle or social factors, such as levels of physical activity and time spent out-of-doors, say the authors.
And at the age of 45, few of the women would have entered the change of life, a period during which bone mineral density falls as estrogen levels dwindle down.
But by way of possible explanations, the authors point to osteomalacia, a disease of extreme vitamin D lack, which is associated with isolated or generalised osseous tissue pain. The hormonally active form of vitamin D is too involved in the regulation of immune system responses.
Around one in 10 of the population suffers from chronic widespread pain at whatever one fourth dimension, say the authors.
The causes ar not fully understood, just social and psychological factors are known to affect the whizz and reporting of pain.
Vitamin D and inveterate widespread pain in the ass in a white middle aged British population: evidence from a cross sectioned population study
Online First AnnRheum Dis2008 interior Department: 10.1136/ard/2008.090456
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Annals of The Rheumatic Rheumatic Diseases
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (ARD) is an international peer review journal attached to promoting the highest standards of scientific exchange and education. It covers all aspects of rheumatology, which includes the spectrum of musculoskeletal conditions, arthritic disease, and connective tissue disorders. ARD publishes basic, clinical, and translational scientific research. Concise scientific communicating is encouraged and peer reviewed proceeding of international meetings are featured. Educational papers include state of the artistic production reviews, "how to" articles and educational cases that focus on problems faced in clinical practice. The journal was first published in 1939 and has an authorative global Editorial Board and a growing international readership.
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