Association of low back pain with vitamin D deficiency and other common risk factors: A hospital based case-control study
European Journal of Preventive Medicine, 2015; 3(1): 1-5
Ahmed M. S. Hegazy1, Basem M. M. Salama2, Ahmed M. M. Elgaml3, Ahmed Ramzy Alzyat4
1Anatomy Department, Benha Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt 2Community Medicine Department, Damietta Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Damietta, Egypt 3Clinical Pathology Department, Cairo Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt 4Rheumatology Department, Cairo Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
Email address:
ahmed0562301954 at yahoo.com (A. M. S. Hegazy), DrBasemsalama at yahoo.com (B. M. M. Salama),
Lecturest at yahoo.com (A. M. M. Elgaml), Ysalama2005 at yahoo.com (A. R. Alzyat)
Table 3. Logistic regression analysis of the risk factors for LBP
| Variables | Adjusted OR | CI (95%) | P value |
| BMI >25 kg/m2 | 5.6 | 2.4 -17.6 | 0.01 |
| Vitamin D | 3.2 | 1.9 - 21.2 | 0.047 |
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Background: low back pain (LBP) is an extremely common health Problem in Asian communities. It is a major cause of activity limitation. Aim of this study was to identify the association of vitamin D and modifiable risk factors of low back pain among female patients in the childbearing period.
Subject and methods: It was a hospital based case-control approach done at rheumatology and rehabilitation outpatient clinic of Arar hospital in Saudi Arabia during a period of 10 months from September 2010 to June 2011. The study population comprised Saudi female in the childbearing period (20- 45 years) (to exclude rickets in younger females and post menopausal osteoporosis in older ones). Cases were patients who had the complaints of chronic LBP (lasting more than three months) at the time of data collection. For each case, one control was selected from the same age group from patients with no LBP but attend the same units for other reasons. Data were collected with a semi-structured Check list and 174 participants were interviewed from which 87 had back pain (cases). Venous sampling 5 ml was done for both cases and control for serum calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, PTH and 25- hydroxy cholecalciferol (vitamin D3).
Results: Univariate analysis showed that low back pain was significantly associated with age of the patients, low physical activity, body mass index (BMI) >25kg/m, prolonged sitting, history of back trauma (p < 0.05). Logistic regression revealed BMI >25kg/m and hypovitaminosis D as an independent risk factors for low back pain.
Conclusion: Low back pain among Saudi female was associated with BMI, physical activity, sitting posture and hypovitaminosis D. All these risk factors could be regarded as the indicators of low back pain, and some relevant preventive measures should be taken to reduce low back pain risk.