Evaluation of the Relationship Between Vitamin D Levels and Anxiety and Depression in Patients with Chronic Pain

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine the relationship between vitamin D levels and anxiety and depression in patients with chronic pain. Materials and Methods: A total of 160 patients, including 125 female and 35 male patients, who were >18 years old and capable of answering study questions were included in this study. Age, gender, height, weight, duration of disease, diagnosis and comorbid status of the patients were recorded. Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m 2 ) was calculated for each patient. Pain was evaluated using the visual analogue scale (VAS), which ranges from 0 to 10. Hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS) scores were recorded. The patients were divided into two groups (group 1 vitamin D: 0-19, group 2 vitamin D: 20-60 ng/mL) according to vitamin D levels. Also vitamin D levels were noted. Results: The mean age of the patients included in this study was 58.72±8.21 years. Vitamin D deficiency was found in 42.8% of the patients, of which 80.7% were female patients.In patients with chronic pain, there was no correlation between vitamin D levels and age (r=0.185, p=0.026); BMI (r=0.084, p=0.316); disease duration (r=0.067, p=0.420); VAS (r=0.038, p=0.648); HADS scores for anxiety (r=0.020, p=0.808) and HADS scores for depression (r=0.048, p=0.569). No relationship was noted between BMI and vitamin D levels (r =-0.117, p=0.165) in patients with chronic pain; however, a positive correlation was noted between BMI and VAS (r=0.305, p=0.000) and HADS scores for anxiety (r=0.185, p=0.001) and HADS scores for depression (r=0.0240, p=0.002). Abstract Conclusion: In the present study, we found no relationship between vitamin D levels and anxiety and depression in patients with chronic pain. However, we found a correlation between obesity and pain severity. Also we report that obesity is associated with anxiety and depression. Implementing lifestyle changes, such as weight loss and reduction of vitamin D deficiency, can improve anxiety and depression in patients with chronic pain.