Relationship of serum Vitamin D levels to the severity of tension-type headache

Conflicting reports exist on the association between the severity of tension-type headache (TTH) and serum Vitamin D levels. This study aimed to determine the relationship between serum Vitamin D levels and headache severity among persons with TTH in our locality. Using a cross sectional analytical study design, eligible adult patients with TTH were consecutively recruited at the neurology clinic of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria. Their age and sex matched healthy headache-free controls were also recruited. Demographic information and clinical parameters were obtained with an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Headache severity and pain intensity were documented using the incorporated headache disability index (HDI) and numerical rating scale (NRS) tools, respectively. Serum levels of Vitamin D, calcium, and albumin were assayed for all study participants. The study recruited 65 persons with TTH and 50 control subjects. The TTH subjects comprised 20 males and 45 females, with mean ages of 34.4 ± 13.1 and 33.4 ± 10.8, respectively. The mean serum Vitamin D level among the participants was 55.8 g/mL ± 28.1. The mean NRS among participants was 6.2 ± 1.49, while the mean HDI among participants was 27.3 ± 19.6. There was no correlation between serum Vitamin D levels and the severity of TTH. We found no relationship between serum Vitamin D level and headache severity or pain intensity in TTH.