Vitamin D and prognostic factors in patients with severe Covid-19 in the amazon region

Abstract

Vitamin D refers to a group of fat-soluble compounds involved in essential biological functions in the human body, besides playing a role in immunomodulation, lung and muscle function, cardiovascular health and in the prevention of infectious diseases. Evidence shows high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency worldwide, which is considered a public health problem. In the context of Covid-19, a correlation between low vitamin D levels and cases/mortality was identified and that vitamin D deficiency increased hospitalization and total mortality, verifying a strong association between disease severity and vitamin D3 deficiency. To evaluate data on vitamin D3 dosage in patients with severe Covid-19 in the Amazon region, correlating it with prognostic variables (nosographic and anthropometric data) arising from the disease. The medical records of patients of both sexes, belonging to age groups equal to or greater than 18 years old, with the diagnosis of severe Covid-19 were evaluated. This was a cross-sectional epidemiological study between October and November 2021 involving patients with severe Covid-19 that presented in their medical records anthropometric data, seen at urgent and emergency healthcare units in the city of Manaus-AM, Northern region of Brazil. The sample consisted of 68 patients with a mean age of 56.8 ± 20.0 years, 50% female and 50% male, with a mean BMI of 28.5 ± 6.2 kg/m2 and most of them overweight or obese (69.8%). Hypertension (57.1%) and Diabetes Mellitus (44.6%) were the most frequent comorbidities among the evaluated patients. Body mass index showed weak inverse correlation with vitamin D3 (P=0.044) and overweight/obese patients had lower vitamin D3 serum levels than eutrophic participants (P=0.004). Classification of serum vitamin D3 levels indicated that most patients were deficient. Significant relationships were found between vitamin D levels and the number of cases of Covid-19 and, especially, the mortality caused by this infection. The population group most vulnerable to the disease, the aging population, is also the one with the most deficient vitamin D levels.