Evaluation of the relationship between lateral epicondylitis and vitamin D
Haluk Yaka1
, Veysel Başbuğ2, Alper Aziz Tekin3, Mustafa Özer4
1Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Konya City Hospital, Konya, Türkiye
2Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Private Nevşehir Versa Hospital, Nevşehir, Türkiye
3Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Ceylanpınar State Hospital, Şanlıurfa, Türkiye
4Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Faculty of Medicine, Konya, Türkiye
Keywords: Elbow, extensor carpi radialis brevis, lateral epicondylitis, pain, vitamin D.
Abstract
Objectives: This study aims to examine the relationship between low vitamin D levels and lateral epicondylitis (LE).
Patients and methods: Between January 2016 and January 2018, a total of 40 patients (17 males, 23 females; mean age: 38.6±10.7 years; range, 18 to 59 years) diagnosed with LE were included as the study group, while 66 patients (33 males, 33 females; mean age: 33.6±12.5 years; range, 18 to 58 years) who did not have any elbow complaints and met the study criteria were included as the control group. Both groups were compared in terms of vitamin D levels, of which levels of >30 ng/mL were considered normal, levels between 20-30 ng/mL were accepted as vitamin D insufficiency, and levels <20 ng/mL were categorized as vitamin D deficiency.
Results: Vitamin D levels of the LE group were significantly lower than the control group (p<0.001). The mean vitamin D level was 16.47±8.22 (range, 8.32 to 39.55) ng/mL in the LE group, and 23.64±8.4 (range, 11.6 to 49) ng/mL in the control group. While 31 of the patients (77.5%) diagnosed with LE had vitamin D deficiency, four (10%) had vitamin D insufficiency, and five (12.5%) had normal vitamin D levels. In the control group, 29 (43.9%) patients had vitamin D deficiency, 20 (30.3%) had vitamin D insufficiency, and 17 (25.8%) had normal vitamin D levels.
Conclusion: Although the etiology of LE has not been fully understood yet, vitamin D levels were significantly lower in LE patients in our study. This finding supports that low vitamin D may be one of the factors in the etiology of LE.
Citation: Yaka H, Başbuğ V, Tekin AZ, Özer M. Evaluation of the relationship between lateral epicondylitis and vitamin D. Jt Dis Relat Surg 2022;33(2):414-418.
Ethical approval was obtained from Necmettin Erbakan University Ethical Committee (2022/3688). The study was conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki.
Informed consent was obtained from all patients that their radiological images would be used for scientific purposes in accordance with the decision of the university ethics committee.
Data Sharing Statement: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Idea, concept: M.Ö., H.Y., V.B.; Data collection: H.Y., V.B., A.A.T.; Analysis: M.Ö., H.Y. A.A.T.; Control and critical review: M.Ö. H.Y.; Writing the article: M.Ö., H.Y., V.B., A.A.T.
The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article.
The authors received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.