Vitamin D and Osteoporosis in HIV/HCV Coinfected Patients: A Literature Review.
Vitamin D deficiency further increases the risk of osteoporosis in HIV-positive patients coinfected with hepatitis C virus (HCV); however, it is still unclear whether HCV-related increased fracture risk is a function of the severity of liver disease. The aim of this review was to identify studies on associative vitamin D deficiency patterns in high-risk populations such as HIV/HCV coinfected patients. We did this by searching MEDLINE and EMBASE databases, from inception to August 2014, and included bibliographies. The final 12 articles selected are homogeneous in terms of age but heterogeneous in terms of sample size, participant recruitment, and data source. Most of the HIV/HCV coinfected patients have less than adequate levels of vitamin D. After reviewing the selected articles, we concluded that vitamin D deficiency should be regarded as a continuum and that the lower limit of the ideal range is debatable. We found that vitamin D deficiency might influence liver disease progression in HIV/HCV coinfected patients. Methodological issues in evaluating vitamin D supplementation as a relatively inexpensive therapeutic option are discussed, as well as the need for future research, above all on its role in reducing the risk of HCV-related fracture by modifying liver fibrosis progression.
Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 127, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
Paola
P
Di Carlo
Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 127, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
Lucia
L
Siracusa
Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Specialities, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 141, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
Giovanni
G
Mazzola
Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Specialities, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 141, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
Piero
P
Colletti
Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Specialities, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 141, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
Maurizio
M
Soresi
Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care "G. D'Alessandro", University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 127, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
Lydia
L
Giannitrapani
Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Specialities, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 141, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
Valentina
V
Li Vecchi
Biomedical Department of Internal Medicine and Specialities, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 141, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
Giuseppe
G
Montalto