title: Impact of vitamin D supplementation on sustained virological response in chronic hepatitis C genotype 4 patients treated by pegylated interferon/ribavirin.
abstract: The current standard of care therapy (SOC) for chronic HCV is pegylated interferon/ribavirin (Peg-IFN/RBV). Many reports showed the possible role of vitamin D supplementation in augmenting the response to SOC. The aim of this study was to assess the role of vitamin D supplementation on the response to treatment in chronic HCV genotype 4 patients. One hundred and one chronic HCV patients were classified into two groups (Group 1): 51 patients received the SOC therapy consisting of Peg-interferon alfa-2b plus ribavirin, (Group 2): 50 patients received the SOC therapy+vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) in a dose of 15,000 IU/week during the treatment course. Vitamin D deficiency was found in 95% of patients. No correlation was found between vitamin D levels and stage of fibrosis in the whole population. Vitamin D supplementation had no positive impact on treatment outcome where sustained virological response (SVR) was achieved in 51.2% in group 2 and 71.4% in group 1 by per-protocol analysis and in 44% in group 2 and in 68.6% in group 1 by intention to treat analysis (P value 0.22 and 0.220 respectively). Despite its role in other genotypes, vitamin D supplementation has no significant impact on SVR in HCV Genotype 4 patient. No correlation was found between vitamin D levels and stage of liver fibrosis.
authors: 1 Department of Endemic Medicine and Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University , Cairo, Egypt .
authors: Gamal
authors: G
authors: Esmat
authors: Maissa
authors: M
authors: El Raziky
authors: Aisha
authors: A
authors: Elsharkawy
authors: Dina
authors: D
authors: Sabry
authors: Mohamed
authors: M
authors: Hassany
authors: Amal
authors: A
authors: Ahmed
authors: Noha
authors: N
authors: Assem
authors: Mohamad
authors: M
authors: El Kassas
authors: Wahid
authors: W
authors: Doss
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000187:drug effects; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012254:Ribavirin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D002762:Cholecalciferol; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; D012254:Ribavirin; C100416:peginterferon alfa-2a