Serum vitamin D level as a predictor of severity of chronic liver disease in children in a resource limited country

CLD and vitamin D in children

Abstract

Objective:  To determine the role of serum vitamin D level in predicting the severity of CLD in children in a resource limited country.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and duration of study: The study was conducted at Bangladesh Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024.

Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was done among 75 children with CLD between January 2023 and December 2024 at Bangladesh Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Child-Pugh class was used for assessment of severity of CLD and patients were categorized into three groups as Child-Pugh class A, B, and C. Vitamin D level was checked in all patients and labeled as: deficient (<20 ng/mL), insufficient (20–30 ng/mL), and sufficient (> 30 ng/mL).

Results: This study found that 81.3% of children with CLD had either vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. Mean vitamin D level was 21.51 ± 8.64 ng/ml. Lower vitamin D level were inversely correlated with Child-Pugh class of CLD (r = - 0.701, p = 0.000). On univariate analysis, serum vitamin D level, bilirubin, albumin, INR and Hb were found as predictor of severity of CLD, whereas in multivariate analysis, only serum vitamin D level was found as a predictor of severity (p = 0.029).

Conclusion: Most children with CLD had either vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. Lower serum vitamin D level was found as a predictor of severity of CLD in children.  Thus, all children with CLD should have routine measurement for vitamin D level.