Association of common SNPs of genes regulating vitamin D homoeostasis with vitamin D levels and liver fibrosis in a cohort of patients with chronic liver disease

Background: Recently, genome wide studies identified a number of genetic variants that affect on vitamin D levels in healthy populations (rs12785878, near DHCR7; rs10741657, near CYP2R1 and rs7041 near vitamin D binding protein GC; Wang et al. Lancet 2010). Since vitamin D deficiency is associated with advanced liver disease, we hypothesized that these variants are associated with vitamin D levels and fibrosis in patients with chronic liver disease. Patients and methods: Overall, 834 patients with chronic liver disease and predominantly Caucasian descent (n=712; 85%) were included. Levels of 25(OH)-vitamin D3 we…