title: Serum vitamin C and spinal pain: a nationwide study.
abstract: Back pain brings about one of the heaviest burden of disease. Despite much research, this condition remains poorly understood, and effective treatments are frustratingly elusive. Thus, researchers in the field need to consider new hypotheses. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is an essential cofactor for collagen crosslinks, a key determinant of ligament, tendon, and bone quality. Recent studies have reported high frequency of hypovitaminosis C in the general population. We hypothesized that lack of vitamin C contributes to poor collagen properties and back pain. We conducted this study to examine the associations between serum concentration of vitamin C and the prevalence of spinal pain and related functional limitations in the adult general population. This study used nationwide cross-sectional data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2004. Data were available for 4742 individuals aged ≥20 years. Suboptimal serum vitamin C concentrations were associated with the prevalence of neck pain (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-2.0), low back pain (aOR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.0-1.6), and low back pain with pain below knee (aOR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.0-1.9) in the past 3 months, self-reported diagnosis of arthritis/rheumatism (aOR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.2-1.7), and related functional limitations' score (adjusted difference of means [aB]: 0.03; 95% CI: 0.00-0.05). The prevalence of hypovitaminosis C in the general population is high. Our study shows associations between vitamin C and spinal pain that warrant further investigation to determine the possible importance of vitamin C in the treatment of back pain patients.
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.|Quebec Centre of Excellence on Aging (CEVQ), Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.|Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Clermont E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Dionne
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.|Quebec Centre of Excellence on Aging (CEVQ), Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.|Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Laurin
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Thérèse
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Desrosiers
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.|Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Belkacem
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abdous
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.|Emergency Department, CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.|Department of Family Medicine and Emergency Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Le Sage
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.|Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frenette
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Myrto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mondor
authors.affiliation: Centre de recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Quebec City, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pelletier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D001416:Back Pain / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D010147:Pain Measurement; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001205:Ascorbic Acid