Objective: The aim of this study was to find an association between serum concentration of vitamin D and vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms to achieve a sustained virological response (SVR).
Methods: We conducted a case-control study in which 250 participants were recruited and divided into three groups (100 chronic hepatitis C [CHC] patients who achieved SVR, 100 CHC patients who did not achieve SVR and 50 apparently healthy individuals as controls). Blood samples were collected to measure serum vitamin D concentration, and four VDR polymorphisms (FokI, ApaI, TaqI, and BsmI) were detected using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism.
Results: Non-responders were found to have significantly low vitamin D concentration compared with responders and control groups. Concerning VDR polymorphisms, both FokI and TaqI polymorphisms were associated with successful treatment.
Conclusion: Vitamin D concentration, FokI, and TaqI may be considered as the predictors for the response of CHC patients to a combination therapy of pegylated interferon and ribavirin.
Keywords: hepatitis C virus; interferons; ribavirin; single nucleotide polymorphism; vitamin D receptor.
© 2016 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.