A study on the correlation between preoperative vitamin D levels and postoperative pain and quality of life in middle-aged and young patients with lumbar degenerative diseases

To investigate the correlation between preoperative vitamin D levels and postoperative pain and quality of life in young and middle-aged patients with lumbar degenerative disease (LDD). The 228 young and middle-aged LDD patients treated in Shanghai Sixth People's Hospital (China) between January 2022 and December 2023 were chosen for the research. The patients were categorized into an insufficient/deficient group as well as an adequate group on the basis of 25-(OH)D levels. Visual analogue scale (VAS), Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, Oswestry disability index (ODI), and quality of life score (SF-12) of the two groups were compared, respectively. To assess the correlation between preoperative vitamin D and postoperative pain and quality of life in LDD patients. Preoperative 25-(OH)D was positively correlated with postoperative lumbar spine function and life quality, and negatively correlated with postoperative pain and ODI index (P<0.05). The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the serum 25-(OH)D level was the main influencing factor for postoperative pain and quality of life in patients with LDD. For every 1ng/mL increase in 25-(OH)D level, the VAS score decreased by 0.091 points and the quality of life score increased by 0.349 points. The lower the preoperative serum vitamin D level in LDD patients, the higher the risk of postoperative pain, the more serious the dysfunction of patients, and the worse the quality of life.