ASSOCIATION OF SERUM VITAMIN D WITH SEVERITY, DIETARY HABITS, INFLAMMATORY, AND METABOLIC BIOMARKERS IN COVID-19 PATIENTS: A HOSPITAL-BASED CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYTICAL STUDY
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Abstract
Background:Recent studies suggest a link between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 infection, but the conclusions are inconsistent. Therefore, we studied whether vitamin D deficiency could increase the risk for clinical severity and adverse clinical outcomes associated with COVID-19 patients.
Methods:We collected data from 400 patients, including demographic information, principal clinical symptoms, medical history, RT‒PCR findings, laboratory findings, comorbidities, and dietary habits.
Results:Among the patients, 76.3% had a mild and moderate infection, while 23.7% had a critical and severe infection, based on the CDC criteria. Approximately 29.5% were vitamin D sufficient, and the remaining 70.5% of patients were vitamin D insufficient. After adjustments for confounding factors, there was a significant (p=<0.05) association between vitamin D insufficiency and an increase in severity (OR=2.27), age (OR=3.24), BMI (OR=3.73), daily exercise (OR=0.63), sunbathing (OR=0.50), CRP (OR=3.24), serum ferritin (OR=1.73), IL-6 (OR=2.04), TNF-α (OR=2.38), HDL (OR=0.52), triglycerides (OR=1.57), and cholesterol levels (OR=1.66) among COVID-19 patients. A significant association of vitamin D levels with the consumption of marine mammals and fish, vegetables and fruits, meat and eggs, and dairy products was observed.
Conclusion:Taken together, our findings suggest that serum vitamin D levels in the general population, especially hospitalized patients, are negatively associated with the severity of COVID-19 morbidity.
Background:Recent studies suggest a link between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 infection, but the conclusions are inconsistent. Therefore, we studied whether vitamin D deficiency could increase the risk for clinical severity and adverse clinical outcomes associated with COVID-19 patients.
Methods:We collected data from 400 patients, including demographic information, principal clinical symptoms, medical history, RT‒PCR findings, laboratory findings, comorbidities, and dietary habits.
Results:Among the patients, 76.3% had a mild and moderate infection, while 23.7% had a critical and severe infection, based on the CDC criteria. Approximately 29.5% were vitamin D sufficient, and the remaining 70.5% of patients were vitamin D insufficient. After adjustments for confounding factors, there was a significant (p=<0.05) association between vitamin D insufficiency and an increase in severity (OR=2.27), age (OR=3.24), BMI (OR=3.73), daily exercise (OR=0.63), sunbathing (OR=0.50), CRP (OR=3.24), serum ferritin (OR=1.73), IL-6 (OR=2.04), TNF-α (OR=2.38), HDL (OR=0.52), triglycerides (OR=1.57), and cholesterol levels (OR=1.66) among COVID-19 patients. A significant association of vitamin D levels with the consumption of marine mammals and fish, vegetables and fruits, meat and eggs, and dairy products was observed.
Conclusion:Taken together, our findings suggest that serum vitamin D levels in the general population, especially hospitalized patients, are negatively associated with the severity of COVID-19 morbidity.
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Shakeel Ahmad
Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
Anita Nyarkoa Walker
The Key Laboratory of Modern Toxicology of Ministry of Education, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.
Margaret Zaitoun
Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
Doris Abra Awudi
Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
Seba Harphoush
Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
Qing Feng
Professor at Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China,