Pain in two joints (e.g. both knees) 2.7 X more likely if low Vitamin D

Created August 2025

Association between vitamin D deficiency, inflammatory markers, and knee osteoarthritis: a retrospective study

J Orthop Surg Res 2025 Aug 23;20(1):794. doi: 10.1186/s13018-025-05805-0

Khaled Swailem # 1, Mohammed Sadhan # 2, Gehad Abdullah Al-Mashramah # 3, Mohammed Ali Saghir # 4

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent condition influenced by various biochemical, anatomical, and lifestyle factors. Vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in OA, but its role in disease severity and associated symptoms remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in knee OA patients and its relationship with inflammatory markers and clinical symptoms.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed 986 patients with knee OA over a 3.5-year period. Vitamin D levels, ESR, and platelet counts were assessed, along with demographic and clinical data. Statistical analyses were conducted to explore associations.

Result: This study involved 986 patients with knee OA, majority of them (85% ) were female with mean age 52.95 ± 12.44 years. More than half of patients 59.7% had unilateral knee OA and 40.3% had bilateral knee OA. The mean value of Vitamin D3 was 25.35 ± 14.125. Vitamin D deficiency was observed in 70.9% of patients, with moderate deficiency being most prevalent (36.94%). No significant association was found between vitamin D levels and inflammatory markers.

However, a strong association was observed between vitamin D deficiency and symptoms like polyarthralgia (p < .05).,

Bilateral OA was associated with higher vitamin D deficiency levels compared to unilateral OA (P < .001).

Conclusion: OA more prevalence among female .As well as, vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in knee OA patients and its severity associated with Bilateral OA and polyarthralgia but not with inflammatory markers. Future research should focus on the long-term impact of vitamin D supplementation and the molecular mechanisms underlying these disparities.

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Is polyarthralgia associated with low Vitamin D Perplexity AI - Aug 2025

Yes, there is strong evidence that polyarthralgia is associated with low vitamin D levels . Research demonstrates a clear relationship between vitamin D deficiency and pain in multiple joints.

Key Research Findings (2.7 X more likely)

Strong Association with Joint Pain : A landmark case-control study found that vitamin D deficiency was associated with a 3.01 times increased risk of arthralgia , and even after adjusting for age and sex, the risk remained significant at 2.71 times higher . The study showed that as vitamin D levels decreased, the odds of arthralgia increased dramatically - from 3.48 times higher risk when levels were below 10 ng/ml to 3.39 times higher at 10-19.9 ng/ml.applications.emro.who+1

Recent Confirmation : A 2025 study specifically found a strong association between vitamin D deficiency and polyarthralgia with statistical significance (p < .05). This confirms that pain affecting multiple joints is particularly linked to inadequate vitamin D status.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih

Dose-Response Relationship : Research demonstrates that the severity of joint pain correlates with the degree of vitamin D deficiency. The lowest vitamin D levels are associated with the highest pain scores, suggesting a biological mechanism rather than coincidence.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih+1

Mechanism and Clinical Evidence

Biological Plausibility : Vitamin D deficiency is frequently identified as the sole cause of polyarthralgia, myalgia, bone pain and chronic widespread pain in patients referred to specialists. This occurs because vitamin D plays crucial roles in muscle function, bone health, and immune regulation.medicalnewstoday+3

Clinical Manifestations : Typical symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include joint pain, muscle weakness, bone pain, fatigue, and reduced range of motion - all components that can contribute to polyarthralgia.yeditepehastaneleri+2

Treatment Implications

Therapeutic Response : Studies show that correcting vitamin D deficiency can improve joint pain symptoms. Clinical trials have demonstrated that vitamin D supplementation in deficient patients can lead to significant improvements in pain scores and functional outcomes.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih+2

Clinical Recommendation : Given that vitamin D deficiency may be an environmental factor for the development or progression of rheumatic diseases, researchers strongly recommend identification and correction of vitamin D deficiency in patients with arthralgia . This is particularly important since some patients with unexplained joint pain may progress to definite rheumatic diseases months later.applications.emro.who

In summary, the evidence clearly supports an association between low vitamin D levels and polyarthralgia, with deficiency increasing the risk of multiple joint pain by 2-3 times. For anyone experiencing persistent joint pain in multiple locations, checking and correcting vitamin D status should be considered as part of the evaluation and treatment plan.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih+4

References

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Tags: Osteoarthritis