Vitamin D Deficiency and Duration of COVID-19 Symptoms in UK Healthcare Workers

Overview

Journal Front Med (Lausanne)

Specialty General Medicine

Date 2024 Dec 10

PMID 39655234

Authors

Karan R Chadda

Sophie A Roberts

Sebastian T Lugg

Aduragbemi A Faniyi

Sian E Faustini

Craig Webster

Joanne E Duffy

Martin Hewison

Adrian Shields

Alex G Richter

Dhruv Parekh

Aaron Scott

David R Thickett

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: Vitamin D has a role in the innate immunity against pathogens and is also involved in mechanisms for reducing inflammation. VD deficiency (VDD) may increase COVID-19 infection susceptibility, however research is limited on the association between VDD and COVID-19 symptom prevalence and duration. The study aimed to determine whether VDD is a risk factor for the presence and extended duration of COVID-19 symptoms.

Methods: Data was analyzed from NHS healthcare workers who isolated due to COVID-19 symptoms as a part of the COVID-19 convalescent immunity study between 12th to 22nd May 2020. Participants self-reported the presence and duration of viral symptoms. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and vitamin D (25(OH)D) serum levels were measured on day of recruitment. VDD was defined as 25(OH)D levels of < 30 nmol/l.

Results: Of the 392 participants, 15.6% ( = 61) had VDD. VDD participants had more symptoms overall ( = 0.0030), including body aches ( = 0.0453), and extended duration of body aches ( = 0.0075) and fatigue ( = 0.0127). Binary logistic regression found that both VDD (OR 3.069, 95% CI 1.538-6.124; = 0.001) and age (OR 1.026, 95% CI 1.003-1.049; = 0.025) were independently associated with extended durations of body aches. VDD (OR 2.089, 95% CI 1.087-4.011; = 0.027), age (OR 1.036, 95% CI 1.016-1.057; < 0.001) and seroconversion (OR 1.917, 95% CI 1.203-3.056; = 0.006), were independently associated with extended durations of fatigue.

Conclusion: VDD is a significant independent risk factor for extended durations of body aches and fatigue in healthcare workers who isolated for COVID-19 viral symptoms. Vitamin D supplementation may reduce symptom duration and is thus an area for future research.

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