Reduction in cytokine storm with vitamin-D supplementation in COVID-19 geriatrics

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Created On: 21/02/2022

A study was carried out to investigate the therapeutic effect of vitamin-D supplementation and its role in minimizing the disease severity in 80 older people (age ≥ 65 years) diagnosed with coronavirus disease.

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Key take away

In hospitalized geriatrics diagnosed with COVID-19, vitamin-D supplementation is safe and can aid to decrease cytokine response and may be recommended therapeutically or prophylactically at every stage of COVID-19.

Background

Method

Participants (50% male, 50% females, mean age 72±10.8 years) followed up in the intensive care unit were allocated to either: (i) Case group (n=40): In this, the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D level of participants was below 30 ng/ml and they were on vitamin-D supplementation, (ii) Control group (n=40): It included people who were hospitalized during the initial period of coronavirus outbreak and in whom vitamin D supplementation was not initiated due to high vitamin D levels. The clinical course and inflammatory parameters of the case group were recorded on the 5th and 10th days of follow-up and compared with the control group.

Result

In the case group, cytokine release syndrome was found to rarely develop. On the 10th day, the case group demonstrated substantially greater levels of inflammatory markers C-reactive protein, ferritin, procalcitonin, lactate dehydrogenase, D-dimer, and interleukin-6 were considerably reduced and the lymphocyte count when compared to the control group.

On the 5th day, the case group exhibited a considerably reduced level of interleukin-6. In 9 (case group) and 4 people (control group), weaning was carried out. No profound difference in mortality rates was noted between the groups.

Conclusion

In the older population, vitamin D supplementation can regulate the immune system and impact the course of coronavirus disease by positively contributing to the clinical course, weaning, and inflammatory response.