Work

#155 - Association Between Serum Vitamin D Levels and Hepatic Decompensations in Advanced Chronic Liver Disease: a Multicenter Retrospective Study

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction and Objectives Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with cirrhotic immune dysfunction and hepatic decompensation. This study evaluated the association between serum 25(OH)D levels and hepatic decompensations in advanced chronic liver disease. Materials and Methods A retrospective multicenter study was conducted in two tertiary-care hospitals between 2023 and 2025. Adult patients with advanced chronic liver disease and available serum 25(OH)D measurements were included. Hepatic decompensations evaluated included ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP), variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy, and acute kidney injury (AKI). Effect size was estimated using Hedges’ g. Multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for liver disease severity and clinically relevant confounders were performed. Results A total of 191 patients were included, of whom 40.3% had vitamin D deficiency. Patients with hepatic decompensations showed significantly lower serum 25(OH)D levels (Table 1). An inverse association was observed between vitamin D levels and decompensation burden. The strongest association was identified for SBP (Hedges’ g = 1.56), followed by ascites (g = 0.83), variceal bleeding (g = 0.64), hepatic encephalopathy (g = 0.45), and AKI (g = 0.41). In multivariate analysis, serum vitamin D levels remained independently associated with SBP (OR 0.822; 95%CI 0.768–0.879; p<0.001), ascites (OR 0.929; p<0.001), variceal bleeding (OR 0.946; p=0.003), and AKI (OR 0.960; p=0.035) (Figure 1). Conclusions Lower serum vitamin D levels were independently associated with hepatic decompensations, particularly SBP. These findings suggest that vitamin D deficiency may represent an integrated biomarker of cirrhotic immune dysfunction and disease progression.

Source: Annals of Hepatology

DOI: 10.1016/j.aohep.2026.102279