SERUM VITAMIN D LEVELS IN COVID PNEUMONIA PATIENTS ADMITTED TO ICU: CORRELATION WITH SEVERITY AND OUTCOME
Main Article Content
Keywords
Vitamin D deficiency, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 pneumonia
Abstract
Background: The global landscape transformed with the emergence of COVID-19 in 2019, a disease profoundly impacting the respiratory system and cascading into multi-organ involvement. Amidst the quest for effective preventive and therapeutic measures, Vitamin D has garnered attention due to its historical role in immunomodulation, particularly in respiratory viral infections.
Objectives:
- Assess serum Vitamin D levels in patients with severe and critical COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to the ICU.
- Establish a relationship between low Vitamin D levels and disease severity as well as clinical outcomes, including hospital stay, discharge, and mortality.
Setting: The study was conducted within the COVID-19 and medical ICUs at Liaquat University Hospital (LUH), Hyderabad.
Study Period: Hospital records from August 20, 2020, to January 20, 2021, were retrospectively collected.
Study Design: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was employed.
Methodology: A cohort of 186 patients (both genders, aged 25-75) admitted to the ICU for critical COVID-19 pneumonia underwent evaluation. Patient demographics, comorbidities, pre-ICU illness duration, laboratory data (including Vitamin D levels), and imaging records were analyzed using SPSS version 22.
Results: Among the 186 patients, 62.4% were male and 37.6% were female. Notably, 83.3% exhibited Vitamin D deficiency, while 15% showed insufficiency. Gender disparities were observed, with males displaying greater susceptibility (p < 0.05). Vitamin D deficiency correlated positively with prolonged hospitalization, mechanical ventilation necessity, and mortality. Gender emerged as a confounding factor, as females displayed higher insufficiency rates (22.8% vs. 10%) and males exhibited greater deficiency rates (85% vs. 75%), with age and comorbidities not exerting a similar impact.
Conclusion: COVID-19 pneumonia patients admitted to the ICU exhibited notably low Vitamin D levels, aligning with increased morbidity and mortality rates. This underscores the significance of addressing Vitamin D status in the management of severe COVID-19 cases.
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Dr Sobhya Karamullah
MBBS, FCPS (General Medicine), Senior Registrar, Department of Medicine, Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences, Jamshoro Sindh Pakistan
Dr Serwat Anjum
MBBS, FCPS (Endocrinology), Senior Registrar, Department of Endocrinology, Asian Institute of Medical Sciences Hyderabad, Sindh Pakistan
Dr Ghaffar Dars
MBBS, FCPS (General Medicine), Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences, Jamshoro Sindh Pakistan
Dr Sanobar Baloch
MBBS, MS (Obstetrics & Gynecology), DGO, Associate Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Indus Medical College, Tando Muahmmad Khan, Sindh Pakistan