Abstract
Background and Aims: Although hypovitaminosis D is common among patients with chronic liver disease (CLD), the data are inconsistent on its prevalence and its relationship with CLD. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D among patients with CLD and to determine the relationship between hypovitaminosis D and severity of liver dysfunction, and calcium (Ca), phosphate (PO4) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in CLD. Methods: The study included 236 CLD patients attending the Department of Hepatology, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (Chennai, India). Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), PTH, Ca, and PO4 were estimated. Severity of liver dysfunction was graded using the Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) score. Results: The first report from our population showed that 162 of 236 (68.6%) CLD patients had hypovitaminosis D (25(OH)D levels of <30 ng/mL), with higher frequency (124/162) 76.5% among CTP B, C patients. Significant negative correlation (r = -0.288, p = 0.0001) between 25(OH)D and CTP scores was noted in hypovitaminosis D conditions. Level of 25(OH)D was correlated negatively with PTH (r = -0.537, p = 0.0001), positively with Ca (r = 0.657, p = 0.0001), and positively with PO4 (r = 0.477, p = 0.0001) in sufficient vitamin D conditions. Conclusions: Hypovitaminosis D is associated with higher CTP scores and is strongly associated with dysregulation of the Ca-PTH-vitamin D axis in CLD. Timely measurement of vitamin D levels is essential, along with levels of PTH, Ca and PO4, to manage CLD patients.