Event Title

Are people severely ill with COVID -19 vitamin D deficient?

Location

Philadelphia, PA

Start Date

10-5-2021 12:00 AM

End Date

13-5-2021 12:00 AM

Description

Introduction: COVID-19, a novel virus, was first discovered in 2019. It is a respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. It has been suspected that vitamin D levels play an important role in the immune response to respiratory illnesses causing the attenuation of infection. Considering this, vitamin D levels has also been found to have a similar effect on patients infected with COVID-19.

Objective: In this systematic review, we assessed studies that probed at vitamin D deficiencies in both positive and negative COVID-19 cases. We compared vitamin D levels to see if there was a noticeable difference. Finally, through the review of several studies, we investigated whether more severe cases of COVID-19 were correlated with low vitamin D levels.

Methods: The mean and standard deviations of the vitamin D levels in patients who tested positive and negative for COVID-19 were analyzed. We used Practical Meta-Analysis Effect Size Calculator developed by David B. Wilson, Ph.D., George Mason University when looking at COVID-19 status and vitamin D (N= 50-80 nmol/L) deficient levels. In this descriptive review, we measured mean, standard deviations, and 95% CI of many studies to determine if there is a consistent relationship between vitamin D levels and COVID-19.

Results: A few studies were compared to evaluate the difference in vitamin D levels (serum 25(OH)D, nmol/L) among those who tested positive for COVID-19 to those who tested negative. It was found that the average median serum 25(OH)D, nmol/L for patients who tested positive was 27.08 nmol/L (±0.58 SD, 95% CI: 1.88) and the average median of serum 25(OH)D, nmol/L for patients who tested negative was 48.67 nmol/L (±13.66 SD, 95% CI: 2.17).When looking at the effects of vitamin D on inflammation levels, it was found that in vitamin D deficient patients, IL-6 levels were significantly higher than those with normal levels of vitamin D. It was also found that patients with vitamin D levels above 75 nmol/L had significantly lower levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), an indicator of inflammation, than those with vitamin D levels below 75 nmol/L. However, other studies found no significant difference in the CRP levels associated with vitamin D levels. Lastly, in patients with vitamin D levels < 30 nmol/L survival probability of COVID-19 was decreased significantly, as compared to those whose vitamin D levels were > 30 nmol/L.

Conclusions: It is apparent that there is a trend found in relationships among those who test positive for COVID-19 and their vitamin D levels. There seems to be a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and likelihood of developing severe illness of COVID-19. We plan to conduct a meta-analysis to compare the levels of vitamin D among COVID-19 patients and the probability of developing more severe symptoms, to determine whether there are statistically significant differences between these variables on a larger scale.

Embargo Period

6-7-2021

This document is currently not available here.

COinS
 
May 10th, 12:00 AM May 13th, 12:00 AM

Are people severely ill with COVID -19 vitamin D deficient?

Philadelphia, PA

Introduction: COVID-19, a novel virus, was first discovered in 2019. It is a respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. It has been suspected that vitamin D levels play an important role in the immune response to respiratory illnesses causing the attenuation of infection. Considering this, vitamin D levels has also been found to have a similar effect on patients infected with COVID-19.

Objective: In this systematic review, we assessed studies that probed at vitamin D deficiencies in both positive and negative COVID-19 cases. We compared vitamin D levels to see if there was a noticeable difference. Finally, through the review of several studies, we investigated whether more severe cases of COVID-19 were correlated with low vitamin D levels.

Methods: The mean and standard deviations of the vitamin D levels in patients who tested positive and negative for COVID-19 were analyzed. We used Practical Meta-Analysis Effect Size Calculator developed by David B. Wilson, Ph.D., George Mason University when looking at COVID-19 status and vitamin D (N= 50-80 nmol/L) deficient levels. In this descriptive review, we measured mean, standard deviations, and 95% CI of many studies to determine if there is a consistent relationship between vitamin D levels and COVID-19.

Results: A few studies were compared to evaluate the difference in vitamin D levels (serum 25(OH)D, nmol/L) among those who tested positive for COVID-19 to those who tested negative. It was found that the average median serum 25(OH)D, nmol/L for patients who tested positive was 27.08 nmol/L (±0.58 SD, 95% CI: 1.88) and the average median of serum 25(OH)D, nmol/L for patients who tested negative was 48.67 nmol/L (±13.66 SD, 95% CI: 2.17).When looking at the effects of vitamin D on inflammation levels, it was found that in vitamin D deficient patients, IL-6 levels were significantly higher than those with normal levels of vitamin D. It was also found that patients with vitamin D levels above 75 nmol/L had significantly lower levels of C-Reactive Protein (CRP), an indicator of inflammation, than those with vitamin D levels below 75 nmol/L. However, other studies found no significant difference in the CRP levels associated with vitamin D levels. Lastly, in patients with vitamin D levels < 30 nmol/L survival probability of COVID-19 was decreased significantly, as compared to those whose vitamin D levels were > 30 nmol/L.

Conclusions: It is apparent that there is a trend found in relationships among those who test positive for COVID-19 and their vitamin D levels. There seems to be a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and likelihood of developing severe illness of COVID-19. We plan to conduct a meta-analysis to compare the levels of vitamin D among COVID-19 patients and the probability of developing more severe symptoms, to determine whether there are statistically significant differences between these variables on a larger scale.