title: Myalgias or non-specific muscle pain in Arab or Indo-Pakistani patients may indicate vitamin D deficiency.
abstract: The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/dl) among patients with fibromyalgia or muscle pain in a musculoskeletal clinic in the United Arab Emirates. Consecutive patients who were diagnosed with fibromyalgia and/or non-specific musculoskeletal pain (ICD-9 729.1) were screened for vitamin D deficiency. Patients were seen at follow-up after treatment with vitamin D was given. Improvement was assessed by a simple questionnaire. Patients (139) with muscle pain were seen in 2007. Average age was 40 +/- year; 95% were female; 69 (49%) were Arab, of whom 92% were veiled; 43 (30%) Indian of whom 11% were veiled; 23 (16%) were Caucasian; and four were East Asian (3%) and all wore western clothes. One hundred three (74%) of these patients had a low vitamin D level. Vitamin D deficiency was most common among Arab patients (86%) and Indo-Pakistani (87%) and least common among the Caucasians (8%) and was equally prevalent among veiled and non-veiled patients. Treatment resulted in clinical improvement in 90% of patients. Non-specific muscle pains among Arab and Indian-Pakistani populations may indicate vitamin D deficiency, and prompt treatment can result in resolution of symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Dubai Bone & Joint Center, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. humeira.badsha@dbaj.ae
authors.forename: Humeira
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Badsha
authors.forename: Mirna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daher
authors.forename: Kok
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ooi Kong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs; D001459:Bangladesh / Q000208:ethnology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010154:Pakistan / Q000208:ethnology; D015995:Prevalence; D014479:United Arab Emirates / Q000453:epidemiology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D