Influence of vitamin D on liver fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the pooled clinical trials data

Table 2 Selection criteria for inclusion and exclusion

Inclusion criteria

Age ≥ 18 yr

Studies including mono-infected HCV or co-infected HCV/HIV

Studies that evaluated liver fibrosis stage, only based on liver histology

Studies that reported serum or plasma 25(OH)D levels

Exclusion criteria

Age < 18 yr

Other etiologies of liver disease, other than hepatitis C

Studies that used non-invasive methods in evaluating liver fibrosis

Inadequate data

HCV: Hepatitis C virus; HIV: Human immunodeficiency virus.