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. 2024 Aug 12;24(1):259.
doi: 10.1186/s12876-024-03353-1.

Association between serum vitamin D status and severity of liver cirrhosis: implications for therapeutic targeting in Nigerian patients

Winnifred Njideka Adiri  1 , Bruno Basil  2 , Chinwe Philomena Onyia  1 , Promise Asogwa  3 , Oluchi Joy Ugwuanyi  1 , Olive Obienu  1 , Uchenna Nkemdilim Ijoma  1   4 , Slyvester Chuks Nwokediuko  1   4
Affiliations

Association between serum vitamin D status and severity of liver cirrhosis: implications for therapeutic targeting in Nigerian patients

Winnifred Njideka Adiri et al. BMC Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Background: Liver cirrhosis is a chronic and progressive liver disease with significant global health implications. Recent evidence suggests an association between serum vitamin D levels and the severity of liver cirrhosis, potentially serving as a therapeutic target. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum vitamin D status and the severity of liver cirrhosis in a population of Nigerian patients.

Methods: This analytical, cross-sectional study involved 201 participants, including 103 with liver cirrhosis and 98 age- and sex-matched controls. Serum vitamin D was measured using ELISA, with deficiency defined as < 20 ng/ml. Cirrhosis severity was assessed using Child-Pugh and MELD scores. Spearman's correlation was used to assess the relationship between vitamin D and severity of liver cirrhosis while ordinal regression analysis assessed its performance as an indicator of the disease severity.

Result: Among cirrhotic patients, 36.9% were deficient, 31.1% insufficient, and 32.0% had sufficient vitamin D levels. Serum vitamin D showed strong negative correlations with Child-Pugh and MELD scores (r = -0.696, p < 0.001; r = -0.734, p < 0.001, respectively). Ordinal regression showed that higher vitamin D levels were associated with lower severity scores (Child-Pugh: OR = 0.856, 95% CI: 0.815-0.900, p < 0.001; MELD: OR = 0.875, 95% CI: 0.837-0.915, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Lower serum vitamin D levels correlated with increased liver cirrhosis severity, suggesting its potential as both a prognostic marker and therapeutic target. Further studies should investigate the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in improving cirrhosis outcomes.

Keywords: Liver cirrhosis; Nigerian; Severity; Therapeutic targeting; Vitamin D.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Distribution of vitamin D status amongst participants with liver cirrhosis
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Distribution of participants with liver cirrhosis based on severity classifications
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Scatter plot showing the correlation between serum vitamin D and severity of Liver cirrhosis
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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