Impact of vitamin D supplementation on sustained virological response in chronic hepatitis C genotype 4 patients treated by pegylated interferon/ribavirin

J Interferon Cytokine Res. 2015 Jan;35(1):49-54. doi: 10.1089/jir.2014.0060. Epub 2014 Jul 25.

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.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cholecalciferol / therapeutic use*
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Genotype
  • Hepacivirus / drug effects
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / drug therapy*
  • Hepatitis C, Chronic / genetics
  • Humans
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
  • Liver Cirrhosis / pathology*
  • Liver Cirrhosis / virology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Polyethylene Glycols / therapeutic use*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Recombinant Proteins / therapeutic use
  • Ribavirin / therapeutic use*
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Viral Load / drug effects
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Cholecalciferol
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • Ribavirin
  • peginterferon alfa-2a