TY - JOUR
T1 - Does Vitamin D deficiency increase the severity of COVID-19?
AU - Kenneth Weir, E.
AU - Thenappan, Thenappan
AU - Bhargava, Maneesh
AU - Chen, Yingjie
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Royal College of Physicians 2020. All rights reserved.
PY - 2020/7
Y1 - 2020/7
N2 - The severity of coronavirus 2019 infection (COVID-19) is determined by the presence of pneumonia, severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (SARS-CoV-2), myocarditis, microvascular thrombosis and/or cytokine storms, all of which involve underlying inflammation. A principal defence against uncontrolled inflammation, and against viral infection in general, is provided by T regulatory lymphocytes (Tregs). Treg levels have been reported to be low in many COVID-19 patients and can be increased by vitamin D supplementation. Low vitamin D levels have been associated with an increase in inflammatory cytokines and a significantly increased risk of pneumonia and viral upper respiratory tract infections. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increase in thrombotic episodes, which are frequently observed in COVID-19. Vitamin D deficiency has been found to occur more frequently in patients with obesity and diabetes. These conditions are reported to carry a higher mortality in COVID-19. If vitamin D does in fact reduce the severity of COVID-19 in regard to pneumonia/ARDS, inflammation, inflammatory cytokines and thrombosis, it is our opinion that supplements would offer a relatively easy option to decrease the impact of the pandemic.
AB - The severity of coronavirus 2019 infection (COVID-19) is determined by the presence of pneumonia, severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (SARS-CoV-2), myocarditis, microvascular thrombosis and/or cytokine storms, all of which involve underlying inflammation. A principal defence against uncontrolled inflammation, and against viral infection in general, is provided by T regulatory lymphocytes (Tregs). Treg levels have been reported to be low in many COVID-19 patients and can be increased by vitamin D supplementation. Low vitamin D levels have been associated with an increase in inflammatory cytokines and a significantly increased risk of pneumonia and viral upper respiratory tract infections. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increase in thrombotic episodes, which are frequently observed in COVID-19. Vitamin D deficiency has been found to occur more frequently in patients with obesity and diabetes. These conditions are reported to carry a higher mortality in COVID-19. If vitamin D does in fact reduce the severity of COVID-19 in regard to pneumonia/ARDS, inflammation, inflammatory cytokines and thrombosis, it is our opinion that supplements would offer a relatively easy option to decrease the impact of the pandemic.
KW - COVID 19
KW - Coronavirus
KW - Inflammation
KW - Treg
KW - Vitamin D
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U2 - 10.7861/CLINMED.2020-0301
DO - 10.7861/CLINMED.2020-0301
M3 - Article
C2 - 32503801
AN - SCOPUS:85088239164
SN - 1470-2118
VL - 20
SP - E107-E108
JO - Clinical Medicine, Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London
JF - Clinical Medicine, Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London
IS - 4
ER -