Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to More Pain After Unilateral Breast Cancer Surgery

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By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, Senior Medical Editor, B. Pharm. Last updated on May 20, 2026.

via HealthDay

WEDNESDAY, May 20, 2026 -- For women undergoing unilateral breast cancer surgery, vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher occurrence of moderate-to-severe postoperative pain, according to a study published online May 19 in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.

Mahdy Ahmed Abdelhady, M.D., Ph.D., from Fayoum University in Egypt, and colleagues examined the relationship between preoperative serum vitamin D levels and acute postoperative pain scores among 184 American Society of Anesthesiologists II to III female patients scheduled to undergo elective unilateral modified radical mastectomy. Participants were classified into two groups: 92 vitamin D-deficient (<30 nmol/L) and 92 vitamin D-sufficient (≥30 nmol/L). The occurrence of moderate-to-severe postoperative pain (Numerical Rating Scale >3) at 12 hours was the primary outcome.

The researchers found that the occurrence of moderate-to-severe pain at 12 hours was higher for patients with vitamin D deficiency. An independent association was seen for vitamin D deficiency with moderate-to-severe postoperative pain at any point during the first 24 hours in a multivariable analysis (adjusted odds ratio, 3.12). Higher intraoperative fentanyl consumption and postoperative tramadol consumption were seen in patients with vitamin D deficiency (mean difference, 8.04 µg and 112.17 mg, respectively).

"To our knowledge, this is the first study to discuss the relationship between vitamin D levels and acute postoperative pain following breast cancer surgery," the authors write.

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Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

Source: HealthDay

Posted : 2026-05-21 03:09

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