Association of vitamin D deficiency with COVID-19 severity and mortality in Iranian people: a prospective observational study
Fatemi et al.,
Association of vitamin D deficiency with COVID-19 severity and mortality in Iranian people: a prospective..,
Acute and Critical Care, doi:10.4266/acc.2021.00605
Prospective study of 248 hospitalized COVID+ patients in Iran with vitamin D levels measured in the previous year and again at admission, showing vitamin D status associated with severity and mortality.
risk of death, 42.0% lower, RR 0.58, p = 0.07, high D levels 18 of 139 (12.9%), low D levels 25 of 109 (22.9%), NNT 10, inverted to make RR<1 favor high D levels, odds ratio converted to relative risk, vitamin D measured prior to COVID-19, multivariate.
|
risk of death, 51.1% lower, RR 0.49, p = 0.02, high D levels 13 of 115 (11.3%), low D levels 30 of 133 (22.6%), NNT 8.9, inverted to make RR<1 favor high D levels, odds ratio converted to relative risk, vitamin D measured on admission, multivariate.
|
risk of severe case, 37.9% lower, RR 0.62, p = 0.007, high D levels 38 of 139 (27.3%), low D levels 48 of 109 (44.0%), NNT 6.0, vitamin D measured prior to COVID-19.
|
risk of severe case, 34.8% lower, RR 0.65, p = 0.02, high D levels 31 of 115 (27.0%), low D levels 55 of 133 (41.4%), NNT 6.9, vitamin D measured on admission.
|
Effect extraction follows pre-specified rules prioritizing more serious outcomes. Submit updates
|

Fatemi et al., 30 Nov 2021, prospective, Iran, peer-reviewed, 5 authors, study period 1 October, 2020 - 31 May, 2021.
Abstract: Acute and Critical Care 2021 November 36(4):300-307
https://doi.org/10.4266/acc.2021.00605
| pISSN 2586-6052 | eISSN 2586-6060
Association of vitamin D deficiency with COVID-19
severity and mortality in Iranian people: a prospective
observational study
Alireza Fatemi1, Seyed Hossein Ardehali2, Ghazaleh Eslamian3, Morvarid Noormohammadi4, Shirin Malek5
1
Men’s Health and Reproductive Health Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran; 2Department of Anesthesiology and Critical
Care, Shohadaye Tajrish Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran; 3Department of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition
and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran; 4Student Research
Committee, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences,
Tehran, Iran; 5Department of Nutrition and Food Science, California State University, Chico, CA, USA
Background: As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to escalate, it is
important to identify the prognostic factors related to increased mortality and disease severity. To
assess the possible associations of vitamin D level with disease severity and survival, we studied
248 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in a single center in a prospective observational study from
October 2020 to May 2021 in Tehran, Iran.
Methods: Patients who had a record of their 25-hydroxyvitamin D level measured in the previous
year before testing positive with COVID-19 were included. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was
measured upon admission in COVID-19 patients. The associations between clinical outcomes of
patients and 25-hydroxyvitamin D level were assessed by adjusting for potential confounders and
estimating a multivariate logistic regression model.
Results: The median (interquartile range) age of patients was 60 years (44–74 years), and 53%
were male. The median serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level prior to admission decreased with increasing COVID-19 severity (P=0.009). Similar findings were obtained when comparing median serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D on admission between moderate and severe patients (P=0.014). A univariate logistic regression model showed that vitamin D deficiency prior to COVID-19 was associated with a significant increase in the odds of mortality (odds ratio, 2.01; P=0.041). The multivariate Cox model showed that vitamin D deficiency on admission was associated with a significant
increase in risk for mortality (hazard ratio, 2.35; P=0.019).
Conclusions: Based on our results, it is likely that deficient vitamin D status is associated with increased mortality in COVID-19 patients. Thus, evaluating vitamin D level in COVID-19 patients is
warranted.
Original Article
Received: May 12, 2021
Revised: August 5, 2021
Accepted: August 6, 2021
Corresponding author
Ghazaleh Eslamian
Department of Cellular and
Molecular Nutrition, Faculty of
Nutrition and Food Technology,
National Nutrition and Food
Technology Research Institute,
Shahid Beheshti University of
Medical Sciences, No 7, Hafezi St,
Farahzadi Blvd, P.O. Box 19395-4741,
Tehran 1981619573, Iran
Tel: +98-21-22360658
Fax: +98-21-22360657
E-mail: gh.eslamian@sbmu.ac.ir
Key Words: 25-hydroxyvitamin D; COVID-19; critical care outcomes; SARS-CoV-2
Copyright © 2021 The Korean Society of
Critical Care..
Please send us corrections, updates, or comments. Vaccines and
treatments are complementary. All practical, effective, and safe means should
be used based on risk/benefit analysis. No treatment, vaccine, or intervention
is 100% available and effective for all current and future variants. We do not
provide medical advice. Before taking any medication, consult a qualified
physician who can provide personalized advice and details of risks and
benefits based on your medical history and situation.
FLCCC and
WCH
provide treatment protocols.
Submit