Researchers measured the vitamin D levels of 118 chronic liver disease patients, and found that 92.4 percent of chronic liver patients had some degree of vitamin D deficiency. At least one third were severely deficient. Severe vitamin D deficiency was more common among cirrhotics.
The researchers thought this could meant that vitamin D replacement might prevent osteoporosis and other bone complications related to end stage liver disease.
The study included 43 hepatitis C patients with cirrhosis, 57 hepatitis C patients without cirrhosis, and 18 cirrhosis patients without hepatitis C.