title: Are Growing Pains Related to Vitamin D Deficiency? Efficacy of Vitamin D Therapy for Resolution of Symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] status of children with growing pains and to evaluate the efficacy of vitamin D treatment on the resolution of pain symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty children with growing pains were included in a prospective cohort study. Serum 25(OH)D and bone mineral levels were measured in all subjects at the time of enrollment. The pain intensity of those with vitamin D deficiency was measured using a pain visual analog scale (VAS). After a single oral dose of vitamin D, the pain intensity was remeasured by means of the VAS at 3 months. The 25(OH)D levels and VAS scores before and after oral vitamin D administration were compared by means of a paired Student's t test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 120 children with growing pains, vitamin D insufficiency was noted in 104 (86.6%). Following vitamin D supplementation, the mean 25(OH)D levels increased from 13.4 ± 7.2 to 44.5 ± 16.4 ng/ml, the mean pain VAS score decreased from 6.8 ± 1.9 to 2.9 ± 2.5 cm (a mean reduction of -3.8 ± 2.1, p < 0.001) and the difference was statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Supplementation with oral vitamin D resulted in a significant reduction in pain intensity among these children with growing pains who had hypovitaminosis D.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Bezmialem Vakıf University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Aysel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vehapoglu
authors.forename: Ozden
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Turel
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Turkmen
authors.forename: Berrin Belcik
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Inal
authors.forename: Turgut
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.forename: Gamze
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ozgurhan
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ersoy
mesh_terms: D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000150:complications*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D