Brief Article
Copyright ©2011 Baishideng Publishing Group Co.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 21, 2011; 17(47): 5184-5190
Published online Dec 21, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i47.5184
Table 1 Baseline demographic, clinical and virologic characteristics of all patients
Baseline demographicsPeg/RBV (n = 36)Peg/RBV + Vit D (n = 36)P value
Age (yr)49 ± 747 ± 110.123
Males (%)60500.015
Body mass index (kg/m2)24 ± 327 ± 40.014
HCV genotype: 1a/1b (n)3/333/330.138
Baseline HCV-RNA (log IU/mL)6.2 ± 0.86.1 ± 0.70.126
High viral load15 (42%)18 (50%)0.033
HCV-RNA > 800  000 IU/mL
Baseline ALT (U/L)56 ± 3155 ± 280.587
Advanced fibrosis (> F2)7 (19%)15 (42%)0.001
Ethnicity (Russian /Jewish/Arab)28/6/229/3/40.194
Table 2 Viral response, vitamin D levels, biomarkers of inflammation, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress in all patients
ParameterPeg/RBV (n = 36)Peg/RBV + Vit D (n = 36)P value
Viral response
Relapser13 (36%)3 (8%)0.001
Non-responder8 (22%)2 (6%)0.010
HOMA-IR
Baseline4.6 ± 5.7  4.5 ± 1.40.123
After 4 wk5.0 ± 4.02.3 ± 1.0a0.001
Basal vitamin D-25-OH levels (ng/mL)19 ± 620.5 ± 9.00.177
Malondialdehyde (mmol/L)0.11 ± 0.050.13 ± 0.040.810
Paraoxonase (mmol/L/min)0.57 ± 0.10.64 ± 0.10.120
Vitamin E (μg/mL)19.7 ± 8.821 ± 8.00.510
Vitamin B12 pmol/L316 ± 190331 ± 1700.103
CRP mg/dL0.39 ± 0.30.45 ± 0.40.100
Triglycerides (mg/dL)200 ± 80220 ± 600.110
Table 3 Predictors for sustained virologic response in treatment-naïve hepatitis C virus genotype 1 patients with pegylated interferon α and ribavirin combination therapy
Odds ratio95% CIP value
Vitamin D treatment (Yes vs No)2.52.0-4.9 < 0.001
Baseline vitamin D (< 20 or > 20 IU/mL)1.51.2-3.80.080
Advanced fibrosis (< F2 or > F2)2.01.0-3.60.001
High viral load (< 800  000 or > 800  000 IU/mL)2.81.2-4.00.001
Baseline CRP (< 0.05 or > 0.5 mg/dL)1.00.5-1.90.510
Changes in homeostasis model assessment (%)1.80.5-3.00.030