title: Vitamin D supplementation for diffuse musculoskeletal pain: results of a before-and-after study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have shown that vitamin D supplementation could be useful for treating diffuse musculoskeletal (DMS) pain in adults.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of correcting a vitamin D deficiency (≤ 50 nmol/l) on DMS pain and quality of life in adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pragmatic prospective study was conducted in a general practice setting in the Rhone-Alps area between 1 February and 30 April 2009. Patients between the ages of 18 and 50 years old who consulted their general practitioner (GP) for DMS pain or chronic unexplained asthenia and had a deficient serum 25 (OH) D level with no signs of any other disease were enrolled in this study. The patients received high doses of vitamin D supplements (400 000 to 600 000 units). Mean pain evaluation scores were evaluated before and after vitamin D supplementation using mixed models and accounting for repeated measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before vitamin D supplementation, the adult study cohort (n = 49) had an adjusted mean serum 25 (OH) D level of 23.7 nmol/l, a mean pain evaluation score of 5.07 and a mean quality of life score of 3.55. After vitamin D supplementation, the adjusted mean serum 25 (OH) D level increased to 118.8 nmol/l (P < 0.001), the mean quality of life score increased to 2.8 nmol/l (P < 0.001) and the mean pain evaluation score decreased to 2.8 (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this small before-and-after study, vitamin D supplementation decreased pain scores in adult patients with diffuse musculoskeletal pain and vitamin D deficiency. These results must be confirmed by further studies.
authors.affiliation: Département de Médecine Générale, Faculté de Médecine Lyon-Est, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 , Lyon , France.
authors.forename: Marie France
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Le Goaziou
authors.forename: Nadir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kellou
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Flori
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perdrix
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dupraz
authors.forename: Edwige
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bodier
authors.forename: Gilbert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Souweine
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D