Vitamin D deficiency aggravates COVID-19: discussion of the evidence

Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2023;63(4):563-567. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2021.1951653. Epub 2021 Aug 12.

Abstract

We discuss the quality of the article evidence on the association between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19, as well as updating the statistics in response to the letter to the editor regarding the same paper. Our review included 22 studies with data available in 23 articles. Using crude OR data, we observed that the chance of hospitalization was 2.16 (CI 95% = 1.42 - 2.89;) for vitamin-deficient individuals compared to non-deficient ones. However, when using the adjusted OR, it was possible to obtain a chance of 1.78 (CI 95% = 1.36-2.20). For the outcome vitamin D deficiency and death in patients with COVID-19 infection the crude association value was 1.38 (OR =1.38; CI 95% = 1.08 - 1.68) and the adjusted OR with the two studies was 1.08 (CI 95% = 0.82- 1.34). This new analyzes don't substantially alter our results. Vitamin D remains associated with severity COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; SarCov-2; Vitamin D; meta-analysis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19* / complications
  • Humans
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin D Deficiency* / complications
  • Vitamins

Substances

  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamins