Does 3 Months Therapy With Vitamin D + Peg + Ribavirin Improve Sustained Virologic Response (SVR) in Genotype 2, 3 Chronic Hepatitis C Patients?

Does 3 Months Therapy With Vitamin D + Peg + Ribavirin Improve SVR in Genotype 2,3 Chronic Hepatitis C Patients?

Standard therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) is (Peg/RBV) combination therapy obtaining sustained virologic response (SVR) in 80% of naïve patients with genotype 2,3. Studies rarely address the issues of improving host factors. The current study examines

1. Does 3 months therapy with Vitamin D+ Peg + Ribavirin could improve viral response and shorten treatment duration (from 24 weeks to 12 weeks)
2. whether Vitamin D levels predicts negative treatment outcome.

Standard therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) is (Peg/RBV) combination therapy obtaining sustained virologic response (SVR) in 80% of naïve patients with genotype 2, 3. Studies rarely address the issues of improving host factors. The current study examines whether adding vitamin D, a potent immunomodulator, for 3 months therapy could improve viral response. The working hypothesis is that 3 months therapy with Vitamin D + Peg + Ribavirin significantly improves RVR, EVR, and SVR.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 to 65 years of age
• chronic genotype 2,3 HCV infection
• treatment Naive negative sero for HBV, HDV and HIV viral infections
• absolute neutrophil count of >1500 per cubic millimeter
• a platelet count of >90,000 per cubic millimeter normal hemoglobin level

Exclusion Criteria:

• decompensated liver disease (cirrhosis with CP score >9)
• another cause of clinically significant liver disease hepato cellular carcinoma
• psychiatric Disorder
• chronic heart failure
• pregnant women
• uncontrolled diabetes with retinopathy Arrhythmia Active CAD
• positive sero for HBV, HDV and HIV viral infections or other autoimmune liver disease