Postop Pain Differs by Vitamin D Status - Scorecard - MDSpire
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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

  • 3 min

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Clinical Scorecard: Postop Pain Differs by Vitamin D Status

At a Glance

CategoryDetail
ConditionPostoperative Pain in Breast Cancer Surgery
Key MechanismsAssociation between preoperative vitamin D levels and postoperative pain severity.
Target PopulationFemale patients aged 20 to 65 years with newly diagnosed breast cancer scheduled for elective surgery.
Care SettingSingle 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

Original Source(s)

Postop Pain Differs by Vitamin D Status

  • by Kathryn Wighton

  • May 27, 2026

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