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Vitamin D deficiency linked to chronic fatigue in brain-injured patients
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New data demonstrate that vitamin D deficiency is closely associated with the chronic fatigue that often follows post-traumatic brain injury.
Researchers in the Netherlands conducted a study to evaluate whether hormone deficiencies related to pituitary damage contribute to post-traumatic brain injury fatigue.
The study included 90 fatigued and non-fatigued men and women aged 18 to 65 years. The researchers conducted an extensive endocrine evaluation and non-hormonal causes for fatigue studied using questionnaire answers on sleep, attention, emotional well-being, quality of life, coping style and daily activity.
Fifty-one percent of patients with traumatic brain injury were severely fatigued 10 years after the trauma. Vitamin D deficiency was present in 65% of post-traumatic brain injury patients, and was significantly related to fatigue (P<.05). In addition, patients who suffered from fatigue were more likely to be vitamin D deficient.
The researchers found a higher incidence of hormone deficiencies in the fatigued group. Pituitary hormone deficiencies, defined as a subnormal serum level of one or more pituitary hormones, were present in 29% of patients; growth hormone deficiencies in 24%; and gonadal hormone deficiencies in 10%. Pituitary hormone disorders were reported twice as frequently in the fatigued group vs. the non-fatigued group (P=.12).
However, the researchers found no evidence that these hormone deficiencies contributed to the post-traumatic brain injury fatigue. There was also no association with sex, attention, BMI and coma duration.
These data open the possibility that correcting vitamin D deficiency may help reduce some chronic fatigue in patients with traumatic brain injury, according to the researchers.
“Fatigued post-traumatic brain injury patients are less active, and generally experience a reduced quality of life,” Jessica Schnieders, MD, of Rijnstate Hospital in Arnham, the Netherlands, said in a press release. “They have difficulties in maintaining relationships and keeping jobs and are less independent than people who have not had to cope with such trauma.”
The researchers said this is “early work,” and further studies are needed to confirm whether low vitamin D levels are the cause of fatigue or a consequence of altered lifestyle related to suffering from fatigue.
“Correction of vitamin D deficiency and improvement of sleep quality might reduce fatigue in these patients,” the researchers concluded.
Schnieders J. P #559. Presented at: 12th European Congress of Endocrinology; April 24-28, 2010; Prague, Czech Republic.