Lower Serum 25(OH)D Levels Associated with Higher Risk of COVID-19 Infection in U.S. Black Women

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2021 Jul 27

PMID 34314458

Citations 8

Authors

Yvette C Cozier

Nelsy Castro-Webb

Natasha S Hochberg

Lynn Rosenberg

Michelle A Albert

Julie R Palmer

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: Limited evidence suggests that higher levels of serum vitamin D (25(OH)D) protect against SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) infection. Black women commonly experience 25(OH)D insufficiency and are overrepresented among COVID-19 cases. We conducted a prospective analysis of serum 25(OH)D levels in relation to COVID-19 infection among participants in the Black Women's Health Study.

Methods: Since 1995, the Black Women's Health Study has followed 59,000 U.S. Black women through biennial mailed or online questionnaires. Over 13,000 study participants provided a blood sample in 2013-2017. 25(OH)D assays were performed in a certified national laboratory shortly after collection of the samples. In 2020, participants who had completed the online version of the 2019 biennial health questionnaire were invited to complete a supplemental online questionnaire assessing their experiences related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including whether they had been tested for COVID-19 infection and the result of the test. We used logistic regression analysis to estimate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of 25(OH)D level with COVID-19 positivity, adjusting for age, number of people living in the household, neighborhood socioeconomic status, and other potential confounders.

Results: Among 5,081 eligible participants whose blood sample had been assayed for 25(OH)D, 1,974 reported having had a COVID-19 test in 2020. Relative to women with 25(OH)D levels of 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/l) or more, multivariable-adjusted ORs for COVID-19 infection in women with levels of 20-29 ng/mL (50-72.5 nmol/l) and <20 ng/mL (<50 nmol/l) were, respectively, 1.48 (95% CI 0.95-2.30) and 1.69 (95% CI 1.04-2.72) (p trend 0.02).

Conclusion: The present results suggest that U.S. Black women with lower levels of 25(OH)D are at increased risk of infection with COVID-19. Further work is needed to confirm these findings and determine the optimal level of 25(OH)D for a beneficial effect.

Citing Articles

Vitamin D and COVID-19-Revisited.

Subramanian S, Griffin G, Hewison M, Hopkin J, Kenny R, Laird E J Intern Med. 2022; 292(4):604-626.

PMID: 35798564 PMC: 9349414. DOI: 10.1111/joim.13536.

Vitamin D: A Potential Mitigation Tool for the Endemic Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic?.

Noriega D, Savelkoul H Front Public Health. 2022; 10:888168.

PMID: 35757617 PMC: 9226430. DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.888168.

Pre-infection 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels and association with severity of COVID-19 illness.

Dror A, Morozov N, Daoud A, Namir Y, Yakir O, Shachar Y PLoS One. 2022; 17(2):e0263069.

PMID: 35113901 PMC: 8812897. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263069.

Vitamin D and COVID-19: where are we now?.

Contreras-Bolivar V, Garcia-Fontana B, Garcia-Fontana C, Munoz-Torres M Postgrad Med. 2021; 135(3):195-207.

PMID: 34886758 PMC: 8787834. DOI: 10.1080/00325481.2021.2017647.

Associations between predicted vitamin D status, vitamin D intake, and risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity.

Ma W, Nguyen L, Yue Y, Ding M, Drew D, Wang K Am J Clin Nutr. 2021; 115(4):1123-1133.

PMID: 34864844 PMC: 8690242. DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqab389.

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