Is suboptimal circulating level of vitamin D a risk factor for the poor prognosis of COVID- 19? – A comparison of first and second waves in India
Yashika Charla, Seema Bhagava, Shyamala A Bembey, S P Byotra, Atul Kakar, Atul Gogia, Parul Chugh, Sangeeta Choudhury
doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-1826271/v1
Background -Severe acute respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) affects every organ system, especially the lungs. Vitamin D has been shown to modulate both infections and autoimmune diseases. It maintains the balance between angiotensin-1 and angiotensin II, thereby preventing lung tissue damage. Hence arises the question -can adequate circulating vitamin D prevent or modulate SARS-CoV-2 infection? In the present study, we attempted to nd the answer to this question in the Indian population.
Methodology -The study duration was April 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021, including only those patients whose vitamin D levels were estimated. Mann-Whitney test was used to compare age, hospital stay, and total vitamin D levels between the two waves. The gender difference, vitamin D status, pre-existing comorbidities, COVID-19 severity, and mortality were calculated using the chi-square test.
Results -On curating the data, vitamin D levels were found to be estimated in 179 COVID-19 positive patients. In the rst wave, 48.2% of the patients were de cient in vitamin D levels, yet no statistical association was observed for patients' demographics (age, sex, and comorbidities), COVID-19 severity, and mortality. Similar results were observed in the second wave. The correlation coe cient of IL-6 (r=-0.08), CRP (r = 0.033), and ferritin (r = 0.027) was not signi cantly associated with vitamin D levels.
Conclusion -The Indian population is known to be de cient in vitamin D, yet this study showed an absence of vitamin D correlation with severity, morbidity or mortality of COVID-19. Further research into the immunemodulatory effect of vitamin D on disease susceptibility and progression in COVID-19 would be bene cial.
the immune-modulatory effect of vit D in susceptibility and course of disease in COVID-19 would be pertinent as the Indian population is known to have hypovitaminosis D.
Declarations Author contributions: All authors contributed and approved the nal manuscript. YC collated the data, reviewed the literature, and drafted the manuscript; SB conceptualized, guided, edited, and proofread; SAB aided in the collation of data and proofreading; SPB advised and suggested the result outcomes, proofread the manuscript; AK and AG extracted demographic and clinical details; PC performed statistical analyses; SC conceptualized, guided, analyzed the data, framed the questions, edited the manuscript and proofread.
Con ict of interest The authors declare that they do not have any con ict of interest.
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