title: Observational study of vitamin D levels and pain in pregnant immigrant women living in Sweden.
abstract: The aim was to determine the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in pregnant immigrant women assessed by the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as well as the correlation to musculoskeletal pain. Sixty-eight pregnant immigrant women were included. Fifty-one native Swedish pregnant women served as controls. 25-hydroxyvitamin D, PTH, ALP and musculoskeletal pain, rated on a visual analogue scale, were analyzed in all women in gestational week 12 and in the immigrant women at 6-12 months postpartum. A significantly higher proportion of immigrant women (77.9%) had levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D <25 nmol/l compared with 3.9% in controls. Of the immigrant women, 29.4% had 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels <12 nmol/l, but none of the controls. Musculoskeletal pain evaluated with a visual analogue scale (VAS) was significantly higher for the immigrant women than for the controls at gestational week 12. However, no within group correlation was seen between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, PTH or ALP and pain. A significant negative correlation between changes in 25-hydroxyvitamin D and pain from gestational week 12 to postpartum was observed. Hypovitaminosis D is prevalent in immigrant women living in Sweden. There is an indication that pain might be associated with hypovitaminosis D.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Endocrinology, Metabolism and Diabetes .
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bergström
authors.forename: Mats
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palmér
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Persson
authors.forename: Agneta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blanck
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010146:Pain / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D037841:Pregnant People; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D