By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Gastroenterology Week -- A new study on Liver Diseases is now available. According to news reporting originating in Brussels, Belgium, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, "Background 82 Aims: Vitamin D deficiency has been frequently reported in advanced liver disease. However, its influence on alcoholic liver disease (ALD) has been poorly elucidated."
The news reporters obtained a quote from the research from the Free University of Brussels, "We investigated the association of vitamin D with clinical, biological, and histological parameters and survival in ALD patients. Furthermore, we explored the effect of vitamin D treatment on ALD patient peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and in a murine experimental model of ALD. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] were determined in 324 Caucasian ALD patients and 201 healthy controls. In vitro experiments on vitamin D pre-treated PBMCs evaluated TNF alpha production by ELISA in culture supernatants. Mice were submitted to an ethanol-fed diet and some of them were orally supplemented three times per week with 1,25(OH)(2)D. Severe deficiency in 25(OH)D (<10 ng/ml) was significantly associated with higher aspartate aminotransferase levels (p = 1.00 x 10(-3)), increased hepatic venous pressure gradient (p = 5.80 x 10(-6)), MELD (p = 2.50 x 10(-4)), and Child-Pugh scores (p = 8.50 x 10(-7)). Furthermore, in multivariable analysis, a low 25(OH)D concentration was associated with cirrhosis (OR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.18-3.84, p = 0.013) and mortality (HR = 4.33, 95% CI = 1.47-12.78, p = 7.94 x 10(-3)) at one year. In addition, in vitro, 1,25(OH)(2)D pretreatment decreased TNF alpha production by stimulated PBMCs of ALD patients (p = 3.00 x 10(-3)), while in vivo, it decreased hepatic TNF alpha expression in ethanol-fed mice (p = 0.04). Low 25(OH)D levels are associated with increased liver damage and mortality in ALD."
According to the news reporters, the research concluded: "Our results suggest that vitamin D might be both a biomarker of severity and a potential therapeutic target in ALD."
For more information on this research see: Marked 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency is associated with poor prognosis in patients with alcoholic liver disease. Journal of Hepatology, 2013;59(2):344-350. Journal of Hepatology can be contacted at: Elsevier Science Bv, PO Box 211, 1000 Ae Amsterdam, Netherlands. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Journal of Hepatology - www.elsevier.com/wps/product/cws_home/621507)
Our news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained by contacting E. Trepo, Univ Libre Brussels, Erasme Hosp, Dept. of Pathol, B-1070 Brussels, Belgium. Additional authors for this research include R. Ouziel, P. Pradat, Y. Momozawa, E. Quertinmont, C. Gervy, T. Gustot, D. Degre, V. Vercruysse, P. Deltenre, L. Verset, B. Gulbis, D. Franchimont, J. Deviere, A. Lemmers and C. Moreno (see also Liver Diseases).
Keywords for this news article include: Europe, Belgium, Brussels, Liver Diseases, Digestive System Diseases
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