Ribavirin induced anaemia: the effect of vitamin D supplementation on erythropoietin and erythrocyte indices in normal Wistar rat.

Objectives: To measure the effect of vitamin D3 (VitD) supplementation on erythrocyte indices, serum and kidney erythropoietin (EPO) in normal rats treated with Pegylated interferon-α (Peg-INF-α) and ribavirin (RBV).

Materials And Methods: Eighty male Wistar rats were divided equally into 8 groups. 'Control'; 'P': only received Peg-INF-α; 'PD': Peg-INF-α/VitD; 'PR': Peg-INF-α/RBV; 'PRD': Peg-INF-α/RBV/VitD; 'R': only received RBV; 'RD': RBV/VitD and 'VitD': only received vitamin D3. Peg-INF-α-2a was injected subcutaneously (6 µg/rat/week) for 4 weeks. RBV (4 mg/rat/day) and VitD (500 IU/rat/day) were given orally for 5 weeks. Blood samples were collected to measure erythrocyte indices and serum 25(OH) vitamin D. EPO was measured in serum samples and kidney specimens by ELISA.

Results: Peg-INF-α alone did not affect the RBCs count, haemoglobin, serum and kidney EPO compared to control (P > 0.05). RBV significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the erythrocyte count, haemoglobin and EPO levels in kidney and serum, either individually (R group) or combined with Peg-INF-α (PR group), compared to 'Control' and 'P' groups. VitD prevented the development of anaemia and significantly increased the concentrations of EPO at serum and kidney levels in the 'RD' and 'PRD' groups compared to 'R' and 'PR' groups. There was a significant positive correlation between blood levels of VitD with serum and kidney EPO, Red cell count and haemoglobin concentrations.

Conclusion: VitD could have a potential beneficial role in the prevention of ribavirin-induced anaemia by promoting endogenous EPO. Further studies are needed to explore the role of vitamin D in the prevention of ribavirin associated anaemia.