Background: Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in chronic liver disease (CLD), particularly in alcoholic liver disease. Emerging evidence suggests that low Vitamin D levels are associated with greater disease severity, complications such as portal hypertension and infections, and increased mortality. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in patients with alcoholic CLD and to assess its association with disease severity using the Child–Pugh scoring system. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted over 12 months at a tertiary care center. Adult Patients with clinical, biochemical, and ultrasonographic evidence of alcoholic cirrhosis or end-stage liver disease were included. Clinical evaluation and laboratory investigations, including serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, were performed. Disease severity was classified using the Child–Pugh score. Vitamin D status was defined as deficient, insufficient, or sufficient. Associations between Vitamin D status and Child–Pugh class were analyzed statistically. Results: Sixty male patients with a mean age of 46.8 years universally presented with pallor and jaundice, followed by ascites and upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Overall, 86.7% of patients had low Vitamin D levels, with 38.3% deficient and 48.3% insufficient. The prevalence of low Vitamin D increased with worsening liver function: 53.3% in Child–Pugh A, 97.4% in Child–Pugh B, and 100% in Child–Pugh C ( P < 0.05). Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is extremely common in alcoholic CLD and correlates strongly with disease severity. Routine screening and correction of Vitamin D deficiency may have potential clinical benefits in this population.
Chatterjee et al. (Thu,) studied this question.