Obstet Gynecol Sci.  2024 Jan;67(1):101-111. 10.5468/ogs.23143.

Association between serum vitamin D status and uterine leiomyomas: a case-control study

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Nnewi, Anambra, Nigeria
  • 2Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi, Anambra, Nigeria
  • 3Department of Anaesthesiology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Nnewi, Anambra, Nigeria
  • 4Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Nnewi, Anambra, Nigeria
  • 5Department of Radiology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Nnewi, Anambra, Nigeria
  • 6School of Nursing, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Nnewi, Nnewi, Nigeria
  • 7Essen Medical Groups, Bronx, NY, USA
  • 8Department of Nursing Sciences, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, Nigeria

Abstract


Objective
Uterine leiomyoma is a common gynecological condition that negatively affects women’s quality of life. Vitamin D plays an important role in tumor development and progression. However, clinical studies comparing serum vitamin D levels between women with and without uterine leiomyomas are limited and inconclusive. This study aimed to compare serum vitamin D levels in women with and without uterine leiomyomas.
Methods
This hospital-based case-control study included 150 women who visited a gynecological clinic. The cases included 75 women with uterine leiomyoma, whereas the controls included 75 age-and parity-matched participants without uterine leiomyoma. Serum vitamin D levels were measured in each participant and volumes of the uterine leiomyomas were determined using the water displacement method following myomectomy. The statistical significance was inferred at P<0.05.
Results
The mean serum vitamin D level was 15.26±4.96 ng/mL and 22.45±6.93 ng/mL for the case and control groups, respectively. The difference was statistically significant (t-value -7.302 and P<0.001). Within the fibroid group, nine (12.0%), 49 (65.33%), and 17 (22.67%) participants had vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency, and sufficiency, respectively; and in the control group, two (2.67%), 24 (45.33%), and 39 (52.0%) participants had vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency, and sufficiency, respectively. There was significant negative correlation between the fibroid volume and the serum vitamin D level (r=-0.591, P<0.001).
Conclusion
Women with uterine leiomyoma had lower vitamin D levels than women in the control group. Lower vitamin D levels were associated with larger fibroid masses. Therefore, vitamin D supplementation may reduce fibroid growth and development.

Keyword

Leiomyoma; Fibroid; Vitamin D; Hypovitaminosis D; Vitamin D deficiency

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Recruitment flow chart.

  • Fig. 2 Bar charts of the percentages of various vitamin D status in the cases and controls.


Reference

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