Predicting postoperative pain with vitamin D status

Researchers found that vitamin D status could dictate pain responses following breast cancer surgery.

In a study published in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine, the researchers examined preoperative serum vitamin D levels and acute postoperative pain scores among nearly 200 patients undergoing elective unilateral modified radical mastectomy as part of their breast cancer treatment. The patients were divided into two groups on the basis of their vitamin D deficiency or sufficiency.

The researchers found that the participants with preoperative vitamin D deficiency were more likely to experience moderate to severe pain 12 hours following the procedure as well as have higher use of the opioids fentanyl and tramadol in the intraoperative and postoperative settings, respectively, compared with those with preoperative vitamin D sufficiency. The vitamin D status of the patients in the deficiency group was independently associated with moderate to severe pain at any point within 24 hours of the procedure.

Despite the findings, the researchers were unable to establish causation because of issues with the study design.

Read more: Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine

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