The plasma levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D in patients with various liver diseases and the response of 25-hydroxyvitamin D to vitamin D treatment.

The mean plasma levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-D) were measured before and after the administration of 2000 units of daily oral vitamin D2 for a period of 2 weeks in 9 normal infants and children, 7 infants with neonatal hepatitis and persistent neonatal hepatitis, and 4 infants with congenital biliary atresia. The mean plasma level of 25-OH-D increased significantly from 19.5 +/- 3.7 (S.E.) ng/ml to 34.0 +/- 6.8 (S.E.) ng/ml after administration of vitamin D2 in controls (p less than 0.05). The mean plasma level of 25-OH-D also increased from 8.0 +/- 2.1 (S.E.) ng/ml to 22.1 +/- 2.6 (S.E.) ng/ml after vitamin D treatment in hepatitis group (p less than 0.05). In patients with congenital biliary atresia, vitamin D treatment did not affect eh plasma levels of 25-OH-D.