Analysis of vitamin d, calcium, phosphorus, body mass index, bone mineral densitometry and glucose levels at i̇npatients with low back pain in Abant İzzet Baysal University physical therapy and rehabilitation hospital

Low back pain (LBP), the most common form of the musculoskeleteal disease is the most common cause of disability in developed countries. LBP results in disability and absenteeism. LBP, resulting in serious medical costs and labour lost, can cause grave economic impact directly or indirectly on the communities. In our study, 200 patients with LBP and 200 patients without LBP refered to our hospital were compared in order to investigate the relation between with LBP and body mass index, blood vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, glucose levels and bone mineral density. The mean age of the patients with and without LBP included 65,12±8,1 and 65,46±8,28, respectively. All of our patients with LBP were suffering from chronic low back pain (CLBP) (over 3 months) and all of our female cases were in postmenopausal period. We found that age, gender, occupation and body mass index not affect LBP risk, but vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml) significantly increased LBP risk. In our study, there was no significant difference between mean vitamin D levels in men with and without CLBP, whereas in women with postmenauposal and CLBP mean vitamin D level was significantly lower than women without CLBP. In the postmenopausal women, moderately severe and severe vitamin D deficiency had a significant had a statistically significant higher risk for low back pain, on the other hand vitamin D insufficiency and normal vitamin D levels significantly reduced LBP risk. We think that vitamin D may be the underlying cause of increased musculoskeleteal pain in postmenapausal women like estrogen decreased. Especially, when it is thougt that a treatable condition if it is diagnosed like vitamin D deficiency may be underliying cause of low back pain, we think that controlling the level of vitamin D level in all patients with CLBP, especially postmenopausal women and supplementation of vitamin D can positively affects on the pain. Key words; Low back pain, vitamin D deficiency, bone mineral density, body mass index,