A newly published paper "Pre-infection 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels and association with severity of COVID-19 illness" on PLOS ONE suggests the correlation between low vitamin D status and both an increased risk of infection with SARS-CoV-2 and poorer clinical outcomes. The study searched patients with positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests for SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) for historical 25(OH)D levels measured 14 to 730 days prior to the positive PCR test. Results show that a lower vitamin D status was more common in patients with the severe or critical disease than in individuals with mild or moderate disease. Patients with vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL) were 14 times more likely to have severe or critical disease than patients with 25(OH)D ≥40 ng/mL.
The differences still applied after researchers controlled for the patients' age, gender, and history of chronic diseases.
Knowing this correlation, health officials in several countries have recommended vitamin D supplements during the pandemic.
--Wenqi
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