The role of vitamin D in the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 infection and mortality

Aging Clin Exp Res. 2020 Jul;32(7):1195-1198. doi: 10.1007/s40520-020-01570-8. Epub 2020 May 6.

Abstract

WHO declared SARS-CoV-2 a global pandemic. The present aim was to propose an hypothesis that there is a potential association between mean levels of vitamin D in various countries with cases and mortality caused by COVID-19. The mean levels of vitamin D for 20 European countries and morbidity and mortality caused by COVID-19 were acquired. Negative correlations between mean levels of vitamin D (average 56 mmol/L, STDEV 10.61) in each country and the number of COVID-19 cases/1 M (mean 295.95, STDEV 298.7, and mortality/1 M (mean 5.96, STDEV 15.13) were observed. Vitamin D levels are severely low in the aging population especially in Spain, Italy and Switzerland. This is also the most vulnerable group of the population in relation to COVID-19. It should be advisable to perform dedicated studies about vitamin D levels in COVID-19 patients with different degrees of disease severity.

Keywords: COVID-19; Calcitriol; Cholecalciferol; SARS-CoV2; Vitamin D.

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / etiology
  • Coronavirus Infections / mortality*
  • Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control
  • Humans
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Pandemics / prevention & control
  • Pneumonia, Viral / etiology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / mortality*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / prevention & control
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Spain / epidemiology
  • Vitamin D / blood
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / complications
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / epidemiology*

Substances

  • Vitamin D