Child-Pugh Score and Vitamin D: Exploring a New Frontier in Liver Cirrhosis Assessment

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between vitamin D levels and liver cirrhosis severity, a leading cause of global morbidity and mortality. Chronic liver diseases, stemming from conditions such as hepatitis, alcohol use, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, autoimmune diseases, and cryptogenic disorders, disrupt vitamin D metabolism, as the liver converts dietary and skin-derived vitamin D into 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), the primary circulating form. The cross-sectional study conducted at the Department of General Medicine of BLDE (DU) Shri. B. M. Patil Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Vijayapura, from August 2022 to May 2024, involved 89 patients. Based on the Child-Pugh scoring system, these patients were classified into three classes: class A (good hepatic function), class B (moderate dysfunction), and class C (advanced dysfunction). The study found a significant negative correlation (Pearson r=-0.462, p<0.0001) between vitamin D levels and Child-Pugh scores, indicating that as cirrhosis severity worsens, vitamin D levels decrease. The findings highlight vitamin D deficiency as a marker of disease severity, linking it to increased morbidity and mortality and underscoring its potential as a prognostic tool in managing liver cirrhosis.