The aim of the study was to evaluate the vitamin D status in hospitalized COVID-19 patients and the correlation with C reactive protein (CRP), ferritin, fibrinogen, and peripheral blood leukocytes, as well as inflammatory derived indices. A prospective study was performed on 203 COVID-19 hospitalized patients, classified by disease severity. Blood was collected after admission, and inflammatory biomarkers and vitamin D status were assessed using routine laboratory procedures. No significant correlation was found between vitamin D serum levels and disease severity stratified by different age groups. However, the highest vitamin D levels were found in patients with mild disease: median 29.39 (IQR 12.12-44.02) ng/mL, while for moderate and severe forms the serum levels were significantly lower: median 15.10 (IQR 9.56-24.11) ng/mL for moderate, and 18.86 (IQR 12.50-27.88) ng/mL for severe; p = 0.009. Patients with no comorbidities showed a significantly higher level of vitamin D median 24.72 (IQR 16.05-31.52) ng/mL compared to subjects with at least one comorbidity: median 16.02 (IQR 9.81-25.22) ng/mL, p = 0.004. We did not find an association between vitamin D levels and inflammatory biomarkers except for significantly lower vitamin D levels in moderate and severe COVID-19 compared to mild disease forms.
Keywords: COVID-19; inflammation; vitamin D.