Vitamin D Level, pain severity and Quality of life among hemodialysis patients: a cross-sectional study

Background: Pain is a common complaint among hemodialysis patients. End-stage renal disease patients are at high risk of vitamin D deficiency and poor Quality of life (QoL). This study aims to find the prevalence of chronic pain and its correlation with QoL and vitamin D level among hemodialysis patients in Palestine. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted between October 2021 to February 2022 at the hemodialysis unit of An-Najah National University Hospital, Palestine. We used the brief pain inventory, the medical outcomes study 36-item short-form health survey, and Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D to assess chronic pain, QoL, and vitamin D deficiency. A multiple linear regression analysis models determined the correlation between the QoL scores and other independent variables. Results The study included 200 patients, 38.1% (95% CI: 31.3–45.4%) of whom had chronic pain and 77.7% (95% CI: 71.0-83.4%) had deficient Vitamin D levels. QoL scores were generally low, with the highest score in social functioning, followed by mental health, while the lowest was found in role emotional and physical functioning. Sex, number of comorbidities, and vitamin D level are significantly correlated with pain severity. Employment, numbers of comorbidities, pain severity, and albumin level are significantly associated with the Physical component of QoL. On the other hand, employment and pain severity are significantly related to the mental component of QoL. Conclusions Low vitamin D levels, chronic pain, and low QoL scores are common among hemodialysis patients. Vitamin D is negatively correlated with pain severity. Unemployment, comorbidities, severe pain, and low level of albumin are associated with reduced QoL scores. Healthcare workers should assess and manage HD patients' chronic pain to improve their QoL and reduce suffering.