Postop Pain Differs by Vitamin D Status
Patients with preoperative vitamin D deficiency had higher postoperative pain scores and opioid use after mastectomy, including more than triple the odds of moderate to severe pain within 24 hours of surgery.
By
Kathryn Wighton
May 27, 2026
Clinical Scorecard: Postop Pain Differs by Vitamin D Status
At a Glance
Category Detail
Condition Postoperative Pain in Breast Cancer Surgery Key Mechanisms Association between preoperative vitamin D levels and postoperative pain severity. Target Population Female patients aged 20 to 65 years with newly diagnosed breast cancer scheduled for elective surgery. Care Setting Single center in Egypt.
Key Highlights
17% of vitamin D-deficient patients reported moderate to severe pain at 12 hours postsurgery compared to 2% in the sufficient group. Vitamin D deficiency was associated with more than three times the odds of moderate to severe postoperative pain. Postoperative nausea was more prevalent in the vitamin D-deficient group. Mean postoperative tramadol consumption was higher in the vitamin D-deficient group (381 mg vs 268 mg). No patients experienced severe pain (NRS score of 7 or greater) during the study. Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
Categorize patients based on preoperative serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Management
Implement standardized anesthesia and postoperative analgesia protocols. Monitoring & Follow-up
Assess postoperative pain using the Numerical Rating Scale at multiple time points. Risks
Monitor for increased postoperative pain and nausea in vitamin D-deficient patients. Patient & Prescribing Data
184 female patients with breast cancer undergoing surgery.
Standardized protocols included intravenous paracetamol and patient-controlled tramadol analgesia.
Clinical Best Practices
Consider vitamin D status in preoperative assessments for breast cancer surgery. Monitor pain levels closely in the immediate postoperative period. Related Resources & Content
