TY - JOUR
T1 - COVID-19 mortality is associated with low vitamin D levels in patients with risk factors and/or advanced age
AU - Jenei, Tímea
AU - Jenei, Sándor
AU - Tamás, László T
AU - Putics, Ákos
AU - Knausz, Márta
AU - Hegedüs, Irén
AU - Dinnyés, Imre
AU - Szalai, Zsuzsanna
AU - Molnár, Tamás F
AU - Büki, Béla
N1 - Funding Information:
Bela Büki is generally supported by the grants RTO005 and SF06 of the Karl Landsteiner Private University of Health Sciences, Austria. Sándor Jenei is supported by the Higher Education Institutional Excellence Programme of the Ministry of Human Capacities in Hungary, 20765–3/2018/FEKUTSTRAT, 3. Thematic programme: Innovation for sustainable and healthy living and environment grant.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism
PY - 2022/2
Y1 - 2022/2
N2 - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Although conclusive evidence is yet lacking, it has been suggested that vitamin D deficiency (VD) may be associated with a more severe course of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (COVID-19). In this retrospective study we assessed the association of VD deficiency with mortality in a group of COVID-19 patients treated in a tertiary referral center.METHODS: Data of 257 Covid-19 patients hospitalized between 30th September 2020 and 2nd March 2021 have been collected retrospectively. The following parameters were collected: age, gender, serum level of 25-OH-Vitamin D3, outcome (survival/death), comorbidities (cancer, diabetes mellitus and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Serum VD measurement was done within 3 days of admission.RESULTS: VD levels were significantly lower in patients who did not survive, however, in this patients' group the average age was significantly higher than among those, who survived. After age-matching, in a subgroup of patients with risk factors and/or 60 years of age or older who survived had significantly higher VD level in their serum than those who deceased. Serum C-reactive protein, lactate-dehydrogenase and creatinin-kinase were significantly higher in the group in which the patients died, however these laboratory parameters did not correlate with the VD levels.CONCLUSION: We found that in COVID-19 infection, when old age as risk factor (60 years of age or older) was pooled with risk factors (cancer, diabetes and/or COPD), the VD levels were significantly lower in the patient group, in which the patients did not survive. We suggest further, prospective studies in similar subgroups to explore a possible causal relationship.
AB - BACKGROUND & AIMS: Although conclusive evidence is yet lacking, it has been suggested that vitamin D deficiency (VD) may be associated with a more severe course of SARS-CoV-2 Infection (COVID-19). In this retrospective study we assessed the association of VD deficiency with mortality in a group of COVID-19 patients treated in a tertiary referral center.METHODS: Data of 257 Covid-19 patients hospitalized between 30th September 2020 and 2nd March 2021 have been collected retrospectively. The following parameters were collected: age, gender, serum level of 25-OH-Vitamin D3, outcome (survival/death), comorbidities (cancer, diabetes mellitus and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Serum VD measurement was done within 3 days of admission.RESULTS: VD levels were significantly lower in patients who did not survive, however, in this patients' group the average age was significantly higher than among those, who survived. After age-matching, in a subgroup of patients with risk factors and/or 60 years of age or older who survived had significantly higher VD level in their serum than those who deceased. Serum C-reactive protein, lactate-dehydrogenase and creatinin-kinase were significantly higher in the group in which the patients died, however these laboratory parameters did not correlate with the VD levels.CONCLUSION: We found that in COVID-19 infection, when old age as risk factor (60 years of age or older) was pooled with risk factors (cancer, diabetes and/or COPD), the VD levels were significantly lower in the patient group, in which the patients did not survive. We suggest further, prospective studies in similar subgroups to explore a possible causal relationship.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Humans
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Prospective Studies
KW - Retrospective Studies
KW - Risk Factors
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - Vitamin D
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85120426226&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.clnesp.2021.11.025
DO - 10.1016/j.clnesp.2021.11.025
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 35063235
SN - 2405-4577
VL - 47
SP - 410
EP - 413
JO - Clinical Nutrition ESPEN
JF - Clinical Nutrition ESPEN
ER -