Review the Research<\/p>\n
Get summaries of key research on vitamin D and COVID-19<\/h5><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\nThe role of vitamin D in the age of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.<\/h1><\/div>Take Home Message<\/span><\/h2><\/div>Low vitamin D status may influence whether or not one becomes infected with COVID-19 and may impact outcomes.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div>Results<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n- 23 studies were included in the meta\u2010analysis, all were designed in retrospective nature, except for five studies in prospective nature.<\/li>\n
- The studies\u2019 sample size ranged from 19 to 7807 participants, all together they included 11,901 participants across the 23 studies.<\/li>\n
- Bias assessment revealed the studies were fair.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis of event rates in peer\u2010reviewed papers showed that 41% of COVID\u201019 patients were suffering from vitamin D deficiency, in 42% of patients, levels of vitamin D were lower than the normal range, and only 19% of patients had normal vitamin D levels.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis of mean 25(OH)D concentration was 20.3 ng\/mL among all COVID\u201019 patients, 16.0 ng\/mL in severe cases and 24.5 ng\/mL in non\u2010severe cases.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis indicated that odds of getting infected with SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 increase by 3.3 times in individuals with vitamin D deficiency.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis showed that the probability of developing severe stages of COVID\u201019 is 5.1 times higher in patients with vitamin D deficiency.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis indicated no significant higher COVID\u201019 mortality related to vitamin\u2010D\u2010deficient patients.<\/li>\n
- Meta\u2010analysis of available data on comorbidities frequency in COVID\u201019 patients was as follows:\n
\n- In non\u2010severe cases, 13% cancer, 12% chronic kidney disease (CKD), 18% cardiovascular diseases (CVD), 21% diabetes, 29% hypertension (HTN), 12% obesity and 13% respiratory diseases (Figure S1)<\/li>\n
- In severe cases, 13% cancer, 34% CKD, 31% CVD, 35% diabetes, 64% HTN, 33% obesity and 17% respiratory diseases; in overall, 8% cancer, 20% CKD, 26% CVD, 5% dementia, 15% depression\/anxiety, 22% obesity, 26% diabetes, 49% HTN and 15% respiratory diseases<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Pooling available data regarding ethnicity distribution among COVID\u201019 patients resulted in 2% Afro\u2010Caribbean, 13% Asian and 87% Caucasian. The results for severe cases were as follows: 2% Asian, 68% Caucasian and 81% Hispanic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/www.vitamindandme.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/Ghas_crop-300x300.jpg\" "\\"Ghas_crop\\"")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Who<\/span><\/h2><\/div>11,901 COVID-19 patients<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Things to Keep in Mind<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n- Most of studies entered into this meta\u2010analysis were retrospective in nature.<\/li>\n
- There are inevitable challenges with the reliability of data due to different strategies in testing (e.g., vitamin D measurement, COVID\u201019 test).<\/li>\n
- Other immunomodulatory factors (e.g., levels of vitamin C, zinc, selenium, etc), which might be influential in the outcome of COVID\u201019 patients, were not considered in the included studies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Author\u2019s Conclusions<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>“<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>This study found that most of the COVID\u201019 patients were suffering from vitamin D deficiency\/insufficiency. Also, there is about three times higher chance of getting infected with SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 among vitamin\u2010D\u2010deficient individuals and about five times higher probability of developing the severe disease in vitamin\u2010D\u2010deficient patients. Vitamin D deficiency showed no significant association with mortality rates in this population.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
“<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Study Design<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n- A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in order to maximize the use of all research that exists about the role of vitamin D in COVID\u201019.<\/li>\n
- Studies included in the meta\u2010analysis met the following criteria: 1) comparative or non\u2010comparative studies both retrospective or prospective in nature; and 2) studies reported the role of vitamin D in confirmed COVID\u201019 patients. Studies were excluded if they were in vitro studies, experimental studies, or reviews.<\/li>\n
- vitamin D cut\u2010off points were considered as follows:\n
\n- Vitamin D sufficiency: 25(OH)D concentration greater than 30 ng\/mL<\/li>\n
- Vitamin D insufficiency: 25(OH)D concentration of 20\u201030 ng\/mL<\/li>\n
- Vitamin D deficiency: 25(OH)D level less than 20 ng\/mL<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Outcomes included: (a) frequency of vitamin D status in COVID\u201019 patients; (b) mean 25(OH)D concentration; (c) association between vitamin D deficiency and SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 infection; (d) association between vitamin D deficiency and COVID\u201019 severity; (e) association between vitamin D deficiency and COVID\u201019 mortality; (f) comorbidity frequency; and (g) ethnicity frequency.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Reference<\/span><\/h2><\/div>Ghasemian R, Shamshirian A, Heydari K, Malekan M, Alizadeh-Navaei R, Ebrahimzadeh MA, Ebrahimi Warkiani M, Jafarpour H, Razavi Bazaz S, Rezaei Shahmirzadi A, Khodabandeh M, Seyfari B, Motamedzadeh A, Dadgostar E, Aalinezhad M, Sedaghat M, Razzaghi N, Zarandi B, Asadi A, Yaghoubi Naei V, Beheshti R, Hessami A, Azizi S, Mohseni AR, Shamshirian D. The role of vitamin D in the age of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Clin Pract. 2021 Jul 29:e14675. doi: 10.1111\/ijcp.14675. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34322971; PMCID: PMC8420549.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
The role of vitamin D in the age of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis.<\/h1><\/div>Take Home Message<\/span><\/h2><\/div>Low vitamin D status may influence whether or not one becomes infected with COVID-19 and may impact outcomes.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div>Results<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n- 23 studies were included in the meta\u2010analysis, all were designed in retrospective nature, except for five studies in prospective nature.<\/li>\n
- The studies\u2019 sample size ranged from 19 to 7807 participants, all together they included 11,901 participants across the 23 studies.<\/li>\n
- Bias assessment revealed the studies were fair.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis of event rates in peer\u2010reviewed papers showed that 41% of COVID\u201019 patients were suffering from vitamin D deficiency, in 42% of patients, levels of vitamin D were lower than the normal range, and only 19% of patients had normal vitamin D levels.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis of mean 25(OH)D concentration was 20.3 ng\/mL among all COVID\u201019 patients, 16.0 ng\/mL in severe cases and 24.5 ng\/mL in non\u2010severe cases.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis indicated that odds of getting infected with SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 increase by 3.3 times in individuals with vitamin D deficiency.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis showed that the probability of developing severe stages of COVID\u201019 is 5.1 times higher in patients with vitamin D deficiency.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis indicated no significant higher COVID\u201019 mortality related to vitamin\u2010D\u2010deficient patients.<\/li>\n
- Meta\u2010analysis of available data on comorbidities frequency in COVID\u201019 patients was as follows:\n
\n- In non\u2010severe cases, 13% cancer, 12% chronic kidney disease (CKD), 18% cardiovascular diseases (CVD), 21% diabetes, 29% hypertension (HTN), 12% obesity and 13% respiratory diseases (Figure S1)<\/li>\n
- In severe cases, 13% cancer, 34% CKD, 31% CVD, 35% diabetes, 64% HTN, 33% obesity and 17% respiratory diseases; in overall, 8% cancer, 20% CKD, 26% CVD, 5% dementia, 15% depression\/anxiety, 22% obesity, 26% diabetes, 49% HTN and 15% respiratory diseases<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Pooling available data regarding ethnicity distribution among COVID\u201019 patients resulted in 2% Afro\u2010Caribbean, 13% Asian and 87% Caucasian. The results for severe cases were as follows: 2% Asian, 68% Caucasian and 81% Hispanic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Who<\/span><\/h2><\/div>11,901 COVID-19 patients<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Things to Keep in Mind<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n- Most of studies entered into this meta\u2010analysis were retrospective in nature.<\/li>\n
- There are inevitable challenges with the reliability of data due to different strategies in testing (e.g., vitamin D measurement, COVID\u201019 test).<\/li>\n
- Other immunomodulatory factors (e.g., levels of vitamin C, zinc, selenium, etc), which might be influential in the outcome of COVID\u201019 patients, were not considered in the included studies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Author\u2019s Conclusions<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>“<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>This study found that most of the COVID\u201019 patients were suffering from vitamin D deficiency\/insufficiency. Also, there is about three times higher chance of getting infected with SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 among vitamin\u2010D\u2010deficient individuals and about five times higher probability of developing the severe disease in vitamin\u2010D\u2010deficient patients. Vitamin D deficiency showed no significant association with mortality rates in this population.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
“<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Study Design<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n- A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in order to maximize the use of all research that exists about the role of vitamin D in COVID\u201019.<\/li>\n
- Studies included in the meta\u2010analysis met the following criteria: 1) comparative or non\u2010comparative studies both retrospective or prospective in nature; and 2) studies reported the role of vitamin D in confirmed COVID\u201019 patients. Studies were excluded if they were in vitro studies, experimental studies, or reviews.<\/li>\n
- vitamin D cut\u2010off points were considered as follows:\n
\n- Vitamin D sufficiency: 25(OH)D concentration greater than 30 ng\/mL<\/li>\n
- Vitamin D insufficiency: 25(OH)D concentration of 20\u201030 ng\/mL<\/li>\n
- Vitamin D deficiency: 25(OH)D level less than 20 ng\/mL<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Outcomes included: (a) frequency of vitamin D status in COVID\u201019 patients; (b) mean 25(OH)D concentration; (c) association between vitamin D deficiency and SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 infection; (d) association between vitamin D deficiency and COVID\u201019 severity; (e) association between vitamin D deficiency and COVID\u201019 mortality; (f) comorbidity frequency; and (g) ethnicity frequency.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Reference<\/span><\/h2><\/div>Ghasemian R, Shamshirian A, Heydari K, Malekan M, Alizadeh-Navaei R, Ebrahimzadeh MA, Ebrahimi Warkiani M, Jafarpour H, Razavi Bazaz S, Rezaei Shahmirzadi A, Khodabandeh M, Seyfari B, Motamedzadeh A, Dadgostar E, Aalinezhad M, Sedaghat M, Razzaghi N, Zarandi B, Asadi A, Yaghoubi Naei V, Beheshti R, Hessami A, Azizi S, Mohseni AR, Shamshirian D. The role of vitamin D in the age of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Clin Pract. 2021 Jul 29:e14675. doi: 10.1111\/ijcp.14675. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34322971; PMCID: PMC8420549.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Take Home Message<\/span><\/h2><\/div>Low vitamin D status may influence whether or not one becomes infected with COVID-19 and may impact outcomes.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/div><\/div>Results<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n- 23 studies were included in the meta\u2010analysis, all were designed in retrospective nature, except for five studies in prospective nature.<\/li>\n
- The studies\u2019 sample size ranged from 19 to 7807 participants, all together they included 11,901 participants across the 23 studies.<\/li>\n
- Bias assessment revealed the studies were fair.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis of event rates in peer\u2010reviewed papers showed that 41% of COVID\u201019 patients were suffering from vitamin D deficiency, in 42% of patients, levels of vitamin D were lower than the normal range, and only 19% of patients had normal vitamin D levels.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis of mean 25(OH)D concentration was 20.3 ng\/mL among all COVID\u201019 patients, 16.0 ng\/mL in severe cases and 24.5 ng\/mL in non\u2010severe cases.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis indicated that odds of getting infected with SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 increase by 3.3 times in individuals with vitamin D deficiency.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis showed that the probability of developing severe stages of COVID\u201019 is 5.1 times higher in patients with vitamin D deficiency.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis indicated no significant higher COVID\u201019 mortality related to vitamin\u2010D\u2010deficient patients.<\/li>\n
- Meta\u2010analysis of available data on comorbidities frequency in COVID\u201019 patients was as follows:\n
\n- In non\u2010severe cases, 13% cancer, 12% chronic kidney disease (CKD), 18% cardiovascular diseases (CVD), 21% diabetes, 29% hypertension (HTN), 12% obesity and 13% respiratory diseases (Figure S1)<\/li>\n
- In severe cases, 13% cancer, 34% CKD, 31% CVD, 35% diabetes, 64% HTN, 33% obesity and 17% respiratory diseases; in overall, 8% cancer, 20% CKD, 26% CVD, 5% dementia, 15% depression\/anxiety, 22% obesity, 26% diabetes, 49% HTN and 15% respiratory diseases<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Pooling available data regarding ethnicity distribution among COVID\u201019 patients resulted in 2% Afro\u2010Caribbean, 13% Asian and 87% Caucasian. The results for severe cases were as follows: 2% Asian, 68% Caucasian and 81% Hispanic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Who<\/span><\/h2><\/div>11,901 COVID-19 patients<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Things to Keep in Mind<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n- Most of studies entered into this meta\u2010analysis were retrospective in nature.<\/li>\n
- There are inevitable challenges with the reliability of data due to different strategies in testing (e.g., vitamin D measurement, COVID\u201019 test).<\/li>\n
- Other immunomodulatory factors (e.g., levels of vitamin C, zinc, selenium, etc), which might be influential in the outcome of COVID\u201019 patients, were not considered in the included studies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Author\u2019s Conclusions<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>“<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>This study found that most of the COVID\u201019 patients were suffering from vitamin D deficiency\/insufficiency. Also, there is about three times higher chance of getting infected with SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 among vitamin\u2010D\u2010deficient individuals and about five times higher probability of developing the severe disease in vitamin\u2010D\u2010deficient patients. Vitamin D deficiency showed no significant association with mortality rates in this population.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
“<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Study Design<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n- A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in order to maximize the use of all research that exists about the role of vitamin D in COVID\u201019.<\/li>\n
- Studies included in the meta\u2010analysis met the following criteria: 1) comparative or non\u2010comparative studies both retrospective or prospective in nature; and 2) studies reported the role of vitamin D in confirmed COVID\u201019 patients. Studies were excluded if they were in vitro studies, experimental studies, or reviews.<\/li>\n
- vitamin D cut\u2010off points were considered as follows:\n
\n- Vitamin D sufficiency: 25(OH)D concentration greater than 30 ng\/mL<\/li>\n
- Vitamin D insufficiency: 25(OH)D concentration of 20\u201030 ng\/mL<\/li>\n
- Vitamin D deficiency: 25(OH)D level less than 20 ng\/mL<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Outcomes included: (a) frequency of vitamin D status in COVID\u201019 patients; (b) mean 25(OH)D concentration; (c) association between vitamin D deficiency and SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 infection; (d) association between vitamin D deficiency and COVID\u201019 severity; (e) association between vitamin D deficiency and COVID\u201019 mortality; (f) comorbidity frequency; and (g) ethnicity frequency.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Reference<\/span><\/h2><\/div>Ghasemian R, Shamshirian A, Heydari K, Malekan M, Alizadeh-Navaei R, Ebrahimzadeh MA, Ebrahimi Warkiani M, Jafarpour H, Razavi Bazaz S, Rezaei Shahmirzadi A, Khodabandeh M, Seyfari B, Motamedzadeh A, Dadgostar E, Aalinezhad M, Sedaghat M, Razzaghi N, Zarandi B, Asadi A, Yaghoubi Naei V, Beheshti R, Hessami A, Azizi S, Mohseni AR, Shamshirian D. The role of vitamin D in the age of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Clin Pract. 2021 Jul 29:e14675. doi: 10.1111\/ijcp.14675. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34322971; PMCID: PMC8420549.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
Low vitamin D status may influence whether or not one becomes infected with COVID-19 and may impact outcomes.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Results<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n- 23 studies were included in the meta\u2010analysis, all were designed in retrospective nature, except for five studies in prospective nature.<\/li>\n
- The studies\u2019 sample size ranged from 19 to 7807 participants, all together they included 11,901 participants across the 23 studies.<\/li>\n
- Bias assessment revealed the studies were fair.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis of event rates in peer\u2010reviewed papers showed that 41% of COVID\u201019 patients were suffering from vitamin D deficiency, in 42% of patients, levels of vitamin D were lower than the normal range, and only 19% of patients had normal vitamin D levels.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis of mean 25(OH)D concentration was 20.3 ng\/mL among all COVID\u201019 patients, 16.0 ng\/mL in severe cases and 24.5 ng\/mL in non\u2010severe cases.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis indicated that odds of getting infected with SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 increase by 3.3 times in individuals with vitamin D deficiency.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis showed that the probability of developing severe stages of COVID\u201019 is 5.1 times higher in patients with vitamin D deficiency.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis indicated no significant higher COVID\u201019 mortality related to vitamin\u2010D\u2010deficient patients.<\/li>\n
- Meta\u2010analysis of available data on comorbidities frequency in COVID\u201019 patients was as follows:\n
\n- In non\u2010severe cases, 13% cancer, 12% chronic kidney disease (CKD), 18% cardiovascular diseases (CVD), 21% diabetes, 29% hypertension (HTN), 12% obesity and 13% respiratory diseases (Figure S1)<\/li>\n
- In severe cases, 13% cancer, 34% CKD, 31% CVD, 35% diabetes, 64% HTN, 33% obesity and 17% respiratory diseases; in overall, 8% cancer, 20% CKD, 26% CVD, 5% dementia, 15% depression\/anxiety, 22% obesity, 26% diabetes, 49% HTN and 15% respiratory diseases<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Pooling available data regarding ethnicity distribution among COVID\u201019 patients resulted in 2% Afro\u2010Caribbean, 13% Asian and 87% Caucasian. The results for severe cases were as follows: 2% Asian, 68% Caucasian and 81% Hispanic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Who<\/span><\/h2><\/div>11,901 COVID-19 patients<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Things to Keep in Mind<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n- Most of studies entered into this meta\u2010analysis were retrospective in nature.<\/li>\n
- There are inevitable challenges with the reliability of data due to different strategies in testing (e.g., vitamin D measurement, COVID\u201019 test).<\/li>\n
- Other immunomodulatory factors (e.g., levels of vitamin C, zinc, selenium, etc), which might be influential in the outcome of COVID\u201019 patients, were not considered in the included studies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Author\u2019s Conclusions<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>“<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>This study found that most of the COVID\u201019 patients were suffering from vitamin D deficiency\/insufficiency. Also, there is about three times higher chance of getting infected with SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 among vitamin\u2010D\u2010deficient individuals and about five times higher probability of developing the severe disease in vitamin\u2010D\u2010deficient patients. Vitamin D deficiency showed no significant association with mortality rates in this population.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
“<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Study Design<\/span><\/h2><\/div>\n- A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in order to maximize the use of all research that exists about the role of vitamin D in COVID\u201019.<\/li>\n
- Studies included in the meta\u2010analysis met the following criteria: 1) comparative or non\u2010comparative studies both retrospective or prospective in nature; and 2) studies reported the role of vitamin D in confirmed COVID\u201019 patients. Studies were excluded if they were in vitro studies, experimental studies, or reviews.<\/li>\n
- vitamin D cut\u2010off points were considered as follows:\n
\n- Vitamin D sufficiency: 25(OH)D concentration greater than 30 ng\/mL<\/li>\n
- Vitamin D insufficiency: 25(OH)D concentration of 20\u201030 ng\/mL<\/li>\n
- Vitamin D deficiency: 25(OH)D level less than 20 ng\/mL<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Outcomes included: (a) frequency of vitamin D status in COVID\u201019 patients; (b) mean 25(OH)D concentration; (c) association between vitamin D deficiency and SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 infection; (d) association between vitamin D deficiency and COVID\u201019 severity; (e) association between vitamin D deficiency and COVID\u201019 mortality; (f) comorbidity frequency; and (g) ethnicity frequency.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Reference<\/span><\/h2><\/div>Ghasemian R, Shamshirian A, Heydari K, Malekan M, Alizadeh-Navaei R, Ebrahimzadeh MA, Ebrahimi Warkiani M, Jafarpour H, Razavi Bazaz S, Rezaei Shahmirzadi A, Khodabandeh M, Seyfari B, Motamedzadeh A, Dadgostar E, Aalinezhad M, Sedaghat M, Razzaghi N, Zarandi B, Asadi A, Yaghoubi Naei V, Beheshti R, Hessami A, Azizi S, Mohseni AR, Shamshirian D. The role of vitamin D in the age of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Clin Pract. 2021 Jul 29:e14675. doi: 10.1111\/ijcp.14675. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34322971; PMCID: PMC8420549.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
- \n
- 23 studies were included in the meta\u2010analysis, all were designed in retrospective nature, except for five studies in prospective nature.<\/li>\n
- The studies\u2019 sample size ranged from 19 to 7807 participants, all together they included 11,901 participants across the 23 studies.<\/li>\n
- Bias assessment revealed the studies were fair.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis of event rates in peer\u2010reviewed papers showed that 41% of COVID\u201019 patients were suffering from vitamin D deficiency, in 42% of patients, levels of vitamin D were lower than the normal range, and only 19% of patients had normal vitamin D levels.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis of mean 25(OH)D concentration was 20.3 ng\/mL among all COVID\u201019 patients, 16.0 ng\/mL in severe cases and 24.5 ng\/mL in non\u2010severe cases.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis indicated that odds of getting infected with SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 increase by 3.3 times in individuals with vitamin D deficiency.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis showed that the probability of developing severe stages of COVID\u201019 is 5.1 times higher in patients with vitamin D deficiency.<\/li>\n
- The meta\u2010analysis indicated no significant higher COVID\u201019 mortality related to vitamin\u2010D\u2010deficient patients.<\/li>\n
- Meta\u2010analysis of available data on comorbidities frequency in COVID\u201019 patients was as follows:\n
- \n
- In non\u2010severe cases, 13% cancer, 12% chronic kidney disease (CKD), 18% cardiovascular diseases (CVD), 21% diabetes, 29% hypertension (HTN), 12% obesity and 13% respiratory diseases (Figure S1)<\/li>\n
- In severe cases, 13% cancer, 34% CKD, 31% CVD, 35% diabetes, 64% HTN, 33% obesity and 17% respiratory diseases; in overall, 8% cancer, 20% CKD, 26% CVD, 5% dementia, 15% depression\/anxiety, 22% obesity, 26% diabetes, 49% HTN and 15% respiratory diseases<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Pooling available data regarding ethnicity distribution among COVID\u201019 patients resulted in 2% Afro\u2010Caribbean, 13% Asian and 87% Caucasian. The results for severe cases were as follows: 2% Asian, 68% Caucasian and 81% Hispanic.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Who<\/span><\/h2><\/div>
11,901 COVID-19 patients<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Things to Keep in Mind<\/span><\/h2><\/div>
- \n
- Most of studies entered into this meta\u2010analysis were retrospective in nature.<\/li>\n
- There are inevitable challenges with the reliability of data due to different strategies in testing (e.g., vitamin D measurement, COVID\u201019 test).<\/li>\n
- Other immunomodulatory factors (e.g., levels of vitamin C, zinc, selenium, etc), which might be influential in the outcome of COVID\u201019 patients, were not considered in the included studies.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Author\u2019s Conclusions<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>
“<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>
This study found that most of the COVID\u201019 patients were suffering from vitamin D deficiency\/insufficiency. Also, there is about three times higher chance of getting infected with SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 among vitamin\u2010D\u2010deficient individuals and about five times higher probability of developing the severe disease in vitamin\u2010D\u2010deficient patients. Vitamin D deficiency showed no significant association with mortality rates in this population.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
“<\/span><\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Study Design<\/span><\/h2><\/div>
- \n
- A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in order to maximize the use of all research that exists about the role of vitamin D in COVID\u201019.<\/li>\n
- Studies included in the meta\u2010analysis met the following criteria: 1) comparative or non\u2010comparative studies both retrospective or prospective in nature; and 2) studies reported the role of vitamin D in confirmed COVID\u201019 patients. Studies were excluded if they were in vitro studies, experimental studies, or reviews.<\/li>\n
- vitamin D cut\u2010off points were considered as follows:\n
- \n
- Vitamin D sufficiency: 25(OH)D concentration greater than 30 ng\/mL<\/li>\n
- Vitamin D insufficiency: 25(OH)D concentration of 20\u201030 ng\/mL<\/li>\n
- Vitamin D deficiency: 25(OH)D level less than 20 ng\/mL<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Outcomes included: (a) frequency of vitamin D status in COVID\u201019 patients; (b) mean 25(OH)D concentration; (c) association between vitamin D deficiency and SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 infection; (d) association between vitamin D deficiency and COVID\u201019 severity; (e) association between vitamin D deficiency and COVID\u201019 mortality; (f) comorbidity frequency; and (g) ethnicity frequency.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Reference<\/span><\/h2><\/div>
Ghasemian R, Shamshirian A, Heydari K, Malekan M, Alizadeh-Navaei R, Ebrahimzadeh MA, Ebrahimi Warkiani M, Jafarpour H, Razavi Bazaz S, Rezaei Shahmirzadi A, Khodabandeh M, Seyfari B, Motamedzadeh A, Dadgostar E, Aalinezhad M, Sedaghat M, Razzaghi N, Zarandi B, Asadi A, Yaghoubi Naei V, Beheshti R, Hessami A, Azizi S, Mohseni AR, Shamshirian D. The role of vitamin D in the age of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Clin Pract. 2021 Jul 29:e14675. doi: 10.1111\/ijcp.14675. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34322971; PMCID: PMC8420549.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>