Trace elements: role in the development of severe forms of COVID-19 and the possibility of correction

The COVID-19 pandemic has set tasks for health professionals, in particular, related to the rapid diagnosis of the disease and the provision of medical care to patients with a new coronavirus infection. All over the world, scientific work is being carried out on the study of the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the dis-ease, the development of new means of its prevention and treatment. Epidemiological studies have identified a number of physiological and other factors that increase the risk of developing severe forms of the disease. Among them: old age, as well as concomitant diseases, including diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease and others. Changes in the balance of trace elements (ME) are considered as a risk factor for the development of severe forms of COVID-19. It is especially important that this factor can potentially be influenced, especially given the potential for replenishing the ME deficit in patients with COVID-19 for the purpose of early recovery and faster rehabilitation. © 2022 Tomsk Polytechnic University, Publishing House. All rights reserved.