Baseline and 6-month post-treatment data for the treatment groups
| Characteristic | Placebo (n=22) | L-cysteine 1000 IU (n=30) | Vitamin D 2000 IU (n=23) | VD+LC (n=21) | ||||
| Baseline | Post-treatment | Baseline | Post-treatment | Baseline | Post-treatment | Baseline | Post-treatment | |
| Age (years) | 40.6±2.83 | 40.6±2.83 | 42.9±2.2 | 42.9±2.2 | 42.9±2.9 | 42.9±2.9 | 40±3.2 | 40±3.2 |
| BMI (kg/m2) | 36.4±2 | 36.6±2 | 32.8±1.2 | 33.6±1.3 | 33±1.9 | 33.3±1.8 | 32.3±2 | 32±1.9 |
| FIB-4 (score) | 0.65±0.1 | 0.7±0.06 | 0.53±0.04 | 0.62±0.06 | 0.63±0.1 | 0.64±0.08 | 0.54±0.06 | 0.58±0.08 |
| Glucose (mg/dL) | 91.1±3.13 | 94.4±2.2 | 92.3±2.3 | 98±2.6 | 99±3.5 | 98.5±3 | 91±2.4 | 93.7±2 |
| Creatinine (mg/dL) | 0.91±0.04 | 0.93±0.04 | 0.9±0.03 | 0.9±0.03 | 0.86±0.03 | 0.89±0.04 | 0.86±0.03 | 0.86±0.03 |
| Calcium (mg/dL) | 9.34±0.08 | 9.2±0.07 | 9.3±0.06 | 9.2±0.07 | 9.4±0.09 | 9.3±0.07 | 9.4±0.08 | 9.2±0.11 |
| Alkaline phosphatase (IU/L) | 74.2±4.7 | 72.3±4.5 | 82.9±5.3 | 81.7±6.02 | 76.7±4.8 | 76.5±4.2 | 71.4±4.8 | 70.6±5.3 |
| ALT (IU/L) | 25.1±1.7 | 26±1.9 | 25±1.7 | 26±1.8 | 25.9±2 | 24±2 | 26.8±2.5 | 29.3±4.6 |
| AST (IU/L) | 19.7±1.7 | 21±1.6 | 17.4±0.9 | 20.2±1.4 | 18.3±1.5 | 18±0.95 | 20.4±1.7 | 21±2.9 |
| Total 25(OH)VD (ng/mL) | 18±1.5 | 21.7±1.6 | 15.8±1 | 18±1.3 | 17±1.4* | 30.3±2.9# | 16.4±1.6** | 28.9±2.3## |
| Free 25(OH)VD (ng/mL) | 4.3±0.73 | 3±0.39 | 2.2±0.38 | 2.44±0.23 | 3.42±0.59 | 3.6±0.48 | 3.71±0.6 | 3.3±0.4 |
| Bioavailable 25(OH)VD | 3.96±0.5 | 4.33±0.49 | 3.71±0.27 | 4.57±0.37 | 4.1±0.44 | 3.91±0.51 | 3.5±0.38∧ | 5.13±0.62∧∧ |
| Hb (g/dL) | 13±0.3 | 12.7±0.3 | 13±0.22 | 12.7±0.2 | 13.4±0.23 | 13±0.22 | 12.9±0.4 | 12.8±0.4 |
| PTH (pg/mL) | 30.9±3.5 | 28±2.2 | 27.8±2.3 | 24±2 | 29.7±3.6* | 26±3# | 29.7±3.8 | 25±2 |
Data are presented as mean±SE.
* vs #, **vs ## and ∧ vs ∧∧ p≤0.05.
ALT, alanine transaminase; AST, aspartate transaminase; BMI, body mass index; FIB-4, Fibrosis-4 index; Hb, haemoglobin; PTH, parathyroid hormone.