Vitamin D reduces the need for opioids in palliative cancer

Date:
August 5, 2021
Source:
Karolinska Institutet
Summary:
Patients with vitamin D deficiency who received vitamin D
supplements had a reduced need for pain relief and lower levels
of fatigue in palliative cancer treatment, a randomized and
placebo-controlled study shows.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Patients with vitamin D deficiency who received vitamin D supplements had
a reduced need for pain relief and lower levels of fatigue in palliative
cancer treatment, a randomized and placebo-controlled study by researchers
at Karolinska Institutet shows. The study is published in the scientific journal Cancers.


========================================================================== Among patients with cancer in the palliative phase, vitamin D deficiency
is common. Previous studies have shown that low levels of vitamin D in
the blood may be associated with pain, sensitivity to infection, fatigue, depression, and lower self-rated quality of life.

A previous smaller study, which was not randomized or placebo-controlled, suggested that vitamin D supplementation could reduce opioid doses,
reduce antibiotic use, and improve the quality of life in patients with advanced cancer.

244 cancer patients with palliative cancer, enrolled in ASIH, (advanced
medical home care), took part in the current study in Stockholm during
the years 2017- 2020.

All study participants had a vitamin D deficiency at the start of
the study.

They received either 12 weeks of treatment with vitamin D at a relatively
high dose (4000 IE/day) or a placebo.

The researchers then measured the change in opioid doses (as a measurement
of pain) at 0, 4, 8, and 12 weeks after the start of the study.

"The results showed that vitamin D treatment was well tolerated and that
the vitamin D-treated patients had a significantly slower increase in
opioid doses than the placebo group during the study period. In addition,
they experienced less cancer-related fatigue compared to the placebo
group," says Linda Bjo"rkhem-Bergman, senior physician at Stockholms
Sjukhem and associate professor at the Department of Neurobiology,
Healthcare Sciences, and Society, Karolinska Institutet.

On the other hand, there was no difference between the groups in terms
of self- rated quality of life or antibiotic use.

"The effects were quite small, but statistically significant and may
have clinical significance for patients with vitamin D deficiency who
have cancer in the palliative phase. This is the first time it has been
shown that vitamin D treatment for palliative cancer patients can have an effect on both opioid- sensitive pain and fatigue," says first author of
the study Maria Helde Frankling, senior physician at ASIH and postdoc
at the Department of Neurobiology, Healthcare Science and Society,
Karolinska Institutet.

The study is one of the largest drug studies conducted within ASIH
in Sweden.

One weakness of the study is the large drop-out rate. Only 150 out of 244 patients were able to complete the 12-week study because many patients
died of their cancer during the study.

The study was funded by Region Stockholm (ALF), the Swedish Cancer
Society, Stockholms Sjukhems Foundation and was carried out with the
support of ASIH Stockholm So"dra and ASIH Stockholm Norr.

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Karolinska_Institutet. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Maria Helde Frankling, Caritha Klasson, Carina Sandberg, Marie
Nordstro"m, Anna Warnqvist, Jenny Bergqvist, Peter Bergman, Linda
Bjo"rkhem-Bergman. `Palliative-D'--Vitamin D Supplementation
to Palliative Cancer Patients: A Double Blind, Randomized
Placebo-Controlled Multicenter Trial. Cancers, 2021; 13 (15):
3707 DOI: 10.3390/ cancers13153707 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210805141139.htm

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