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Greater mortality risk linked with 25-(OH)D3 deficiency in HCC patients

Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and severely deficient serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels were more likely to face mortality, compared with those with higher levels, according to data.

Researchers recruited 200 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and compared 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-[OH]D3) levels to cirrhosis and HCC stages with Kruskal-Wallis tests and Spearman correlations. Mean follow-up was 322 days. Nineteen patients underwent liver transplantation, and 30% of patients died during the observation period.

The mean serum 25-(OH)D3 concentration was 17 ± 13 ng/mL. Sixty-nine patients (34.5%) had 25-(OH)D3 levels below 10 ng/mL that researchers classified as severely deficient; 38% had levels between 10 ng/mL and 20 ng/mL (deficient); and 27.5% had levels greater than 20 ng/mL. Men showed greater 25-(OH)D3 levels (18 ± 15 ng/mL) than women (14 ± 11 ng/mL; P=.034).

According to data, patients with severe 25-(OH)D3 deficiency had the greatest mortality risk (HR=2.225; 95% CI, 1.331-3.719). Results also showed a negative correlation between the 25-(OH)D3 level and MELD score (P<.001), as well as higher levels of 25-(OH)D3 levels in patients with moderate or massive ascites (P<.001). Patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE) had lower levels compared with patients without HE symptoms (P<.001).

“The determination of 25-(OH)D3 levels is a feasible additional tool in prediction of the risk of death in HCC patients,” the researchers said. “As vitamin D deficiency is common among cirrhotic patients with and without HCC and given the potential of 25-(OH)D3 and its analogs as immune modulatory and anti-proliferative drugs, further studies in such severely sick liver patients are warranted.”

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.