The association between serological and dietary vitamin D levels and hepatitis C‐related liver disease risk differs in African American and white males. Issue 1 (26th May 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: White, D. L.; Tavakoli‐Tabasi, S.; Kanwal, F.; Ramsey, D. J.; Hashmi, A.; Kuzniarek, J.; Patel, P.; Francis, J.; El‐Serag, H. B.
• Is Part Of: Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics. Volume 38:Issue 1(2013)
• Page Start: 28
• Page End: 37
• Publication Date: 2013-05-26
• Subjects: Digestive organs -- Diseases -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Digestive organs -- Effect of drugs on -- Periodicals; Gastrointestinal system -- Diseases -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Gastrointestinal system -- Effect of drugs on -- Periodicals; 615.73
• DOI: 10.1111/apt.12341
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-2813

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="apt12341-abs-0001"> <title>Summary</title> <sec id="apt12341-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>Vitamin D may affect the severity of HCV‐related liver disease.</p> </sec> <sec id="apt12341-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Aim</title> <p>To examine the association between serum vitamin D levels and advanced liver disease in a multiethnic US cohort of HCV patients, and account for dietary and supplemental intake.</p> </sec> <sec id="apt12341-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>We measured serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D levels and used FibroSURE‐ActiTest to assess hepatic pathology in a cohort of HCV‐infected male veterans. We estimated and adjusted for daily intake of vitamin D from diet using a Dietary History Questionnaire, and dispensed prescriptions prior to study enrolment. We used race‐stratified logistic regression analyses to evaluate the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and risk of advanced fibrosis (F3/F4–F4) and advanced inflammation (A2/A3–A3).</p> </sec> <sec id="apt12341-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>A total of 163 African American (AA) and 126 White non‐Hispanics were studied. Overall, ~44% of AAs and 15% of Whites were vitamin D deficient (<12 ng/mL) or insufficient (12–19 ng/mL); 4% of AAs and 9% of White patients had an elevated level (>50 ng/mL). Among AAs, patients with elevated serum vitamin D levels had significantly higher odds of advanced fibrosis (OR = 12.91, <italic>P</italic> = 0.03) than those with normal levels. In contrast, AAs with insufficient or deficient levels had > two‐fold excess risk of advanced inflammation (<italic>P</italic> = 0.06). Among White males there was no association between vitamin D levels and advanced fibrosis (F3/F4–F4) or inflammation (A2/A3–A3) risk.</p> </sec> <sec id="apt12341-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>We observed potential differences in the association between vitamin D levels and degree of HCV‐related hepatic fibrosis between White and African American males. Additional research is necessary to confirm that high serum vitamin D levels may be associated with advanced fibrosis risk in African American males, and to evaluate whether racial differences exist in HCV‐infected females.</p> </sec> </abstract>