COVID-19 disease severity and death in relation to vitamin D status among SARS-CoV-2-positive UAE residents

Author First name, Last name, Institution

Habiba Alsafar, Khalifa University of Science and Technology
William B. Grant, Sunlight, Nutrition and Health Research Center
Rafiq Hijazi, Zayed University
Maimunah Uddin, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City
Nawal Alkaabi, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City
Guan Tay, Khalifa University of Science and Technology
Bassam Mahboub, Rashid Hospital
Fatme Al Anouti, Zayed University

ORCID Identifiers

0000-0001-7141-1438

0000-0002-1439-3285

0000-0002-6895-9280

0000-0002-1175-4145

0000-0001-6639-3298

0000-0003-4665-6024

0000-0002-1993-6656

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Nutrients

Publication Date

5-1-2021

Abstract

Insufficient blood levels of the neurohormone vitamin D are associated with increased risk of COVID-19 severity and mortality. Despite the global rollout of vaccinations and promising preliminary results, the focus remains on additional preventive measures to manage COVID-19. Results conflict on vitamin D’s plausible role in preventing and treating COVID-19. We examined the relation between vitamin D status and COVID-19 severity and mortality among the multiethnic population of the United Arab Emirates. Our observational study used data for 522 participants who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 at one of the main hospitals in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Only 464 of those patients were included for data analysis. Demographic and clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Serum samples immediately drawn at the first hospital visit were used to measure serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations through automated electrochemiluminescence. Levels < 12 ng/mL were significantly associated with higher risk of severe COVID-19 infection and of death. Age was the only other independent risk factor, whereas comorbidities and smoking did not contribute to the outcomes upon adjustment. Sex of patients was not an important predictor for severity or death. Our study is the first conducted in the UAE to measure 25(OH)D levels in SARS-CoV-2-positive patients and confirm the association of levels < 12 ng/mL with COVID-19 severity and mortality.

DOI Link

10.3390/nu13051714

Volume

13

Issue

5

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

Keywords

COVID-19, Mortality, SARS-CoV-2, Severity, United arab emirates, Vitamin D

Scopus ID

85105970320

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Recommended Citation

Alsafar, Habiba; Grant, William B.; Hijazi, Rafiq; Uddin, Maimunah; Alkaabi, Nawal; Tay, Guan; Mahboub, Bassam; and Al Anouti, Fatme, "COVID-19 disease severity and death in relation to vitamin D status among SARS-CoV-2-positive UAE residents" (2021). All Works. 4231.
https://zuscholars.zu.ac.ae/works/4231

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

yes

Open Access Type

Gold: This publication is openly available in an open access journal/series