Relationships Between Serum Vitamin D, Inflammatory Markers, and Outcomes in Non-Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Backround

Treatment options for COVID-19 remain limited and are primarily focused on specific patient populations; accordingly, preventive measures continue to be a crucial aspect of effective management. There is evidence that vitamin D effectively prevents viral upper respiratory tract infections during epidemics. The aim of this study was to assess the association between serum vitamin D and inflammatory markers, mortality, and clinical symptoms in patients with COVID-19.

Methods

This cross-sectional study involved non-critically ill patients with COVID-19 in a provincial reference hospital in Mashhad, Iran. Demographic and clinical data were extracted from patient medical records. Serum vitamin D was measured for each patient within 12 h of admission. Data were analyzed using linear and logistic regression models.

Results

In total, 452 patients (mean age 63.87 ± 17.97 years) were included in this study during 2 months of data collection. The most common serum vitamin D status was sufficient (30.0%), followed by deficient (29.4%), insufficient (23.2%), and severely deficient (17.3%). Partial symptom improvement was observed in 326 (72.1%) patients after 22 days of hospitalization, disregarding the vitamin D status. The mortality rate was 22.6%. COVID-19 mortality was significantly related to serum urea (p = 0.002, OR = 1.020, 95% CI: 1.008–1.033), pulse rate (p = 0.015, OR = 1.047, 95% CI: 1.009–1.086), and age (p = 0.002, OR = 1.076, 95% CI: 1.027–1.127).

Conclusions

Among patients with COVID-19, serum vitamin D levels were linked to mortality and some clinical parameters, including urea and pulse rate. Further longitudinal studies should evaluate the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and COVID-19 outcomes.