The Effect of Vitamin D Level on the Clinical Situation in COVID-19 Patients

Abstract

Objective: Vitamin D plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of mucosal barriers and in natural and acquired immunity. In the COVID-19 pandemic, the strength of personal immunity is very important in the course of the disease, despite the presence of variants of the virus or vaccination status. Method: In this study, we investigated the relationship between the clinical course and vitamin D levels of outpatient and inpatient follow-up patients admitted to our hospital due to COVID-19. A total of 94 patients, 47 outpatients and 47 inpatients, were included in the study. Results: The mean age and gender distributions of both groups were similar. Vitamin D levels were found to be normal in only 7 of 94 patients who were followed up in our hospital due to COVID-19. Patients with vitamin D levels >= 30 were significantly lower than those with "<10" and "10-29.9" (p<0.01 for each). Hospitalized patients (71%) with vitamin D levels <10 were significantly higher than those (0%) with vitamin D levels >= 30. Additionally, the outpatients (29%) with vitamin D levels <10 were significantly lower than those (100%) with vitamin D levels >= 30. Conclusion: The data showed that vitamin D deficiency may be associated with the severe clinical course of COVID-19, even in patients without comorbidities, and may also be one of the predisposing factors resulting in death in COVID-19. As a result, vitamin D levels in COVID-19 patients may be important for the course of the disease.