Relationship between levels of vitamin D3 and hepatitis B: A case-control Study

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Background: Chronic hepatitis B is caused by hepatitis B virus infection, which can adversely affect liver function. Vitamin D is an important immune modulator that plays an emerging role in inflammatory and metabolic liver diseases, including infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV). In contrast, the relationship between vitamin D metabolism and chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is less well characterized. This study aims to correlate the vitamin D deficiency status with chronic hepatitis B and compare it with healthy control. Methods and materials: In this case-control study, 292 patients selected with CHB and 104 healthy subjects as control group. We quantified the levels of total vitamin D [25-(OH) D3] in serum samples from these patients with chronic hepatitis B infection and unrelated healthy control. T.test and chi-square analyses were performed in order to compare vitamin D3 serum concentrations in two groups and determining the association between 25(OH)D3 serum levels and chronic hepatitis B virus respectively. Results: Vitamin D serum level mean in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients and healthy group was 20.76 ± 15.53 and 19.07 ± 12.41 respectively. Significant difference was not observed (p.value > 0.05). The prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy (<20 ng/mL) was high among HBV patients (63.0%) as well as in healthy group (52.9%). Of 292 patients, 184 (63%), 56 (19.2%), and 52 (17.8%) had severe vitamin D deficiency (25(OH)D3<20 ng/mL), vitamin D insufficiency (20<25(OH)D3<30 ng/mL), or adequate vitamin D serum levels (25(OH)D3>30 ng/mL), respectively. Vitamin D serum levels frequency distribution showed significant difference in two groups (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency was observed in the majority of CHB patients. In all reviewed studies, vitamin D levels were measured in chronically infected patients. However, for identification of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency, as the biomarker of CHB or other outcomes of HBV infection, new designed studies may be required to understand the real association of vitamin D levels and HBV associated factors.