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

Petre Cristian Ilie, Simina Stefanescu, Lee Smith, Petre Cristian Ilie, Simina Stefanescu, Lee Smith

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.

Conflict of interest statement

Petre Cristian Ilie, Simina Stefanescu and Lee Smith declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Mean vitamin D levels per courtry versus COVID-19 cases and mortality/1M population

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Source: PubMed

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