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Abnormal vitamin D metabolism in patients with cirrhosis

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Abstract

To assess the role of hepatic function and alcohol on vitamin D metabolism, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels were measured in 20 healthy nonalcoholic control subjects, 31 “inactive” cirrhotics whose alcoholism was in remission, 8 alcoholic cirrhotics, and 15 alcoholics with normal liver function. Cirrhosis, but not alcoholism, was associated with low serum 25-OHD levels. The aminopyrine breath test (ABT) was performed because aminopyrine, like vitamin D3, is metabolized by hepatic microsomes; the ABT correlated highly (r-0.74,P<0.01) with serum 25-OHD in the inactive cirrhotics. After an intravenous injection of 120 μg vitamin D3, serum 25-OHD rose significantly within 24 hr in 6 healthy controls and 2 patients with celiac disease but not in 6 inactive cirrhotics. The data suggest impaired 25-hydroxylation of vitamin-D impaired in patients with cirrhosis, related predominantly to the degree of hepatic dysfunction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center of The Pennsylvania State University, 17033, Hershey, Pennsylvania

    Gershon W. Hepner MD, Martin Roginsky MD & Hing Fai Moo PhD

  2. Division of Endocrinology, Nassau County Medical Center, East Meadow, 11554, Long Island, New York

    Gershon W. Hepner MD, Martin Roginsky MD & Hing Fai Moo PhD

Authors
  1. Gershon W. Hepner MD
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  2. Martin Roginsky MD
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  3. Hing Fai Moo PhD
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This work was supported in part by Grant AM 17303 from the National Institutes of Health.

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Hepner, G.W., Roginsky, M. & Moo, H.F. Abnormal vitamin D metabolism in patients with cirrhosis. Digest Dis Sci 21, 527–532 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01464758

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