Over 80% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients had vitamin D deficiency: study

Over 80% of COVID-19 patients in Toronto-Spanish hospitals had vitamin D deficiency. According to a new study..

Researchers at Marquez de Valdesila University Hospital in Santander, Spain, examined vitamin D levels in 216 patients admitted for coronavirus treatment between March 10 and March 31. ..

In this study, vitamin D levels in 216 inpatients were compared to levels in a control group of 197 people of the same age and gender from a population-based cohort in the same geographic region.

Of the 216 hospitalized patients, 19 who had been taking oral vitamin D supplements for at least 3 months prior to admission were analyzed as a separate group.

The researchers found that 82% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients (who were not taking supplements) had vitamin D deficiency and 47% of the control group had the same deficiency.

The study also noted that vitamin D levels were “especially low” in men with COVID-19 compared to women.

Dr. Jose Hernandez, co-author of the study and associate professor of neurophysiology at the University of Cantabria in Spain, can explain why men with COVID-19 have lower vitamin D levels than women, including lifestyle. Said that there are factors or dietary habits and various comorbidities.

The authors of the study were particularly interested in the study of vitamin D, as there was evidence suggesting that vitamin D was involved in COVID-19 infection. Vitamin D is a hormone produced by the kidneys that controls blood calcium levels and affects the functioning of the immune system.

Vitamin D deficiency is also associated with health concerns such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and multiple sclerosis.

There is also “convincing evidence” that there is an epidemiological link between low levels of vitamin D and infectious diseases such as influenza, HIV, and hepatitis C virus, according to this study.

“There is plenty of evidence in the literature to support the beneficial effects of vitamin D on the immune system, especially with regard to protection against infections, including viral infections,” Hernandez said in an email to CTV News.ca on Sunday.

Researchers reported a higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in hospitalized COVID-19 patients compared to controls, but with vitamin D levels such as the need for ICU admission and ventilators. No association was found with the severity of the disease. Or even death.

Also, although no association has been established between vitamin D deficiency and the severity of COVID-19, the authors of the study found that the group of inpatients who took oral supplements prior to admission did not. He states that he showed slightly better results than. Do not take supplements prior to admission, including reduced ferritin levels, reduced need for the immunosuppressant tocilizumab, and reduced ICU hospitalization.

The study found that patients with vitamin D deficiency also had elevated serum levels of inflammatory markers such as ferritin and D-dimer.

“The most severe form of COVID-19 is characterized by a hyperinflammatory condition, the so-called” cytokine storm, “which occurs during the first week of onset of symptoms, causing acute respiratory distress syndrome and other organ complications. Increases mortality. “Hernandez explained.

“COVID-19 patients with low serum vitamin D levels were found to have elevated serum ferritin and D-dimer levels, which are markers of this hyperinflammatory response.”

In addition to not establishing a relationship between low levels of vitamin D and the severity of COVID-19, including mortality, the authors of the study also found that their study was a risk factor for vitamin D deficiency. I admitted not to show it.

“We need to wait for the results of ongoing large-scale, well-designed studies to determine whether vitamin D can prevent or reduce the severity of SARS-COV-2 infection.” Said Hernandez.

Given the safety and low cost of vitamin D treatment, Hernandez makes sense to treat people who are at the highest risk of vitamin D deficiency and who happen to be at the highest risk of developing it, such as the elderly and those with comorbidities. I said it was a target. Serious consequences from COVID-19.

The study was announced At the “Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism” of the Endocrinology Society on Tuesday.