High dose vitamin D therapy for chronic pain in children and adolescents with sickle cell disease: results of a randomized double blind pilot study

Summary We report results of a pilot study of high‐dose vitamin D in sickle cell disease (SCD). Subjects were given a 6‐week course of oral high‐dose cholecalciferol (4000–100 000 IU per week) or placebo and monitored prospectively for a period of six months. Vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency was present at baseline in 82·5% and 52·5% of subjects, respectively. Subjects who received high‐dose vitamin D achieved higher serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D, experienced fewer pain days per week, and had higher physical activity quality‐of‐life scores. These findings suggest a potential benefit of vitamin D in reducing the number of pain days in SCD. Larger prospective studies with longer duration are needed to confirm these effects.