Risk of uterine fibroid in patients with Vitamin D deficiency: A cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT Background: Uterine fibroids (UFs) are common benign tumors in women, and their etiology is influenced by multiple factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate levels of Vitamin D in patients with UFs and explore the potential association between UF symptoms and Vitamin D levels. Methods: The study included 117 subjects: 50 healthy controls and 67 UF cases. Abdominal or transvaginal ultrasonography was conducted to confirm the diagnosis and assess the number, size, and sonographic appearance of the lesions. Blood samples were collected to measure 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (D3) levels using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to estimate crude and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the risk of UFs. Results: After adjusting the potential confounders, women with high levels of Vitamin D were associated with a lower likelihood of UFs (AOR = 0.97; 95% CI: 0.93–0.99); and the odds of UF had decreased by 3% per unit increase in the level of Vitamin D. However, there were no significant differences in Vitamin D levels based on lesion location, size, or UF-related symptoms. Similarly, an inverse relation was observed between increasing body mass index and the UF (AOR = 0.84; 95% CI: 0.75–0.95). Although advanced aged and menarche, employed women, and economic status (lower) increased the risk of UF, there were no significant associations ( P > 0.05). Conclusion: Findings showed that a high level of Vitamin D is associated with a reduced risk of UFs.