Investigation of Vitamin D Levels and the Effects of Being an Agricultural Worker on Etiology and Night Pain in Children and Adolescents With Chronic Low Back Pain

Abstract

Objective: Chronic low back pain in children is a condition that should be investigated. In this study, we examined the effects of agricultural work on imaging results, risk factors, night pain, and vitamin D levels in children and adolescents with chronic low back pain. Material and methods: The study included 133 patients who presented to the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Neurosurgery outpatient clinics with low back pain that had lasted more than three months. The patients were evaluated based on the duration of their low back pain, the presence of night pain, a family history of low back pain, their employment status, local or radicular pain, and their body mass index (BMI). A physical examination was carried out to look into the etiologies of low back pain. Appropriate imaging, such as x-ray radiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and computed tomography (CT), was performed for the patients. Blood samples were collected from patients to assess inflammatory pathologies and vitamin D levels. Results: The 133 patients in the study ranged in age from seven to 16 years, with a mean age of 14.3 + 1.9 years. Further, 60.2% (n = 80) of the cases were male, while 39.8% (n = 53) were female. Imaging revealed findings in 59.4% of the patients. In 97.7% of the participants, D hypovitaminosis was detected. There was no significant relationship between the patients’ imaging findings and vitamin D deficiency, family history, BMI, and employment status (p = 0.441, 0.147, 0.082, 0.605). The relationship between family history, employment status, and night pain was statistically significant (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant relationship between night pain and vitamin D deficiency (p = 0.667). Conclusion: Mechanical strain due to agricultural work and family history was found to be associated with night pain in patients with chronic low back pain in our study. The most important finding of this study is that night pain, which is considered a red flag, can occur in both inflammatory pathologies and situations causing mechanical low back pain, and risk factors should be thoroughly investigated. Studies with patients who have sufficient vitamin D will help to clarify the relationship between chronic low back pain and vitamin D.