title: Vitamin d and chronic pain in immigrant and ethnic minority patients-investigation of the relationship and comparison with native Western populations.
abstract: Vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in chronic pain. Immigrant and ethnic minority populations have been shown to have lower vitamin D levels than native Western populations and often to be vitamin D deficient. This systematic review investigates the relationship between vitamin D and chronic pain in immigrant and ethnic minority populations. Included were studies reporting on 25-OH vitamin D levels in immigrant/ethnic minority populations affected by chronic pain, and/or reporting on the treatment of chronic pain with vitamin D preparations in such populations. We found that 25-OH vitamin D levels were low and often deficient in immigrant/ethnic minority populations. Vitamin D levels depended on the latitude of the study location and hence sunlight exposure. There was insufficient evidence to reach a verdict on the value of treating chronic pain in immigrant/ethnic minority patients with vitamin D preparations because the studies were few, small, and of low quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Social Medicine, University of Göttingen, Waldweg 37 B, 37073 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Straube
authors.forename: R Andrew
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Sheena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Derry
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hallier
authors.forename: Henry J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: McQuay