VITAMIN D SERUM LEVELS IN HOSPITALIZED NON-ICU PATIENTS WITH SARS-COV-2 INFECTION

OBJECTIVE: Low vitamin D blood levels have been linked to an increased risk of acute respiratory infections (ARIs). Taking a vitamin D supplement reduced the risk of having ARI. Non-ICU in-patients in our hospital with a vitamin D deficiency were supplemented with vitamin D. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: From March to May 2020, data of non-ICU patients with Covid-19 infection were collected at discharge. Vitamin D serum levels were assessed at admission and correlated to age, sex, Body Mass Index (BMI), length of stay (LOS) and discharge outcome. Mean and standard deviation or percentage were calculated for all data. RESULTS: Vitamin D serum level was assessed at admission in n. 97 non-ICU patients. Most of them (80%) have a deficiency of vitamin D (< 20 ng/mL), median age is 63,7 years, 71% are men, mean BMI is 26,5, median LOS is 13,6 days (Table 1) and above 25% have a worse discharge outcome (sub-ICU, ICU or death) as shown in Table 2. Patients with a sub-obtimal vitamin D level are 14%, mostly female (64%), with a lower mean BMI (24,8), mean LOS of 15,4 days and a worse discharge outcome in 14% of cases. Only 5 patients have a sufficient vitamin D serum level, mean age of 61,2 years, mean BMI of 24,6, mean LOS of 9,2 and home discharge outcome for all of them. CONCLUSION: Low vitamin D levels seem to correlate with a higher risk of developing the disease; supplementation of vitamin D may help in reducing the risk of ARI and improving outcome.