Effect of vitamin D therapy on interleukin-6, visfatin, and hyaluronic acid levels in chronic hepatitis C Egyptian patients.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to compare serum levels of interleukin-6, visfatin, and hyaluronic acid in chronic hepatitis C Egyptian patients who received standard of care (SOC) therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) consisting of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and ribavirin (RBV) and in those who received SOC with vitamin D (vit D) for 48 weeks in HCV genotype 4a subjects.


METHODS
One hundred chronic HCV patients were classified into two groups: study 50 patients received SOC therapy PEG-IFN/RBV + vit D and control 50 patients received SOC PEG-IFN/RBV without vit D. Both groups were followed up at 12 weeks, 24 weeks, and 48 weeks of treatment.


RESULTS
Results showed a significant elevation in vit D levels in the group treated with SOC and vit D compared to SOC group and a reduction in HCV RNA from the 12th week to reach zero level in the 24th week. Interleukin-6, visfatin, and hyaluronic acid levels were also reduced significantly. Alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase biomarkers were significantly reduced, indicating decreased liver injury.


CONCLUSIONS
SOC PEG-IFN/RBV + vit D therapy for chronic HCV led to reduced interleukin-6, visfatin, and hyaluronic acid levels and follow up liver biochemical biomarkers as aspartate transaminase and alanine transaminase indicates proper liver healing and monitoring.
Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Dina
D
Sabry
Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Gaza, State of Palestine, Egypt.
Mohamed As
MA
Al-Ghussein
Internal Medicine Department, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Gehan
G
Hamdy
Tropical Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Amr
A
Abul-Fotouh
Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
Tarek
T
Motawi
Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismaileya, Egypt.
Amany Y
AY
El Kazaz
Medical Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, October 6 University, Giza, Egypt.
Ahmed
A
Eldemery
Tropical Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt ; Tropical Medicine Department, Bny Swif University, Bny Swif, Egypt.
Marwa
M
Shaker
ALT; AST; HCV 4a RNA; hepatitis C virus; pegylated interferon; ribavirin