Does Vitamin D Supplementation Reduce Cytokine Storm and Mortality in Geriatric Intensive Care Patients Diagnosed with COVID-19

Abstract

Introduction: Coronavirus disease progresses from an asymptomatic stage to a fatal stage characterized by a cytokine storm. Therefore, treatment should focus on enhancing the patients’immune function and preventing cytokine release syndrome. Vitamin-D deficiency is one of the factors triggering cytokine release syndrome. The present study aimed to emphasize the therapeutic effect of vitamin-D supplementation and its potential importance in reducing the disease severity in older adults in the intensive care unit after COVID-19 diagnosis. Materials and Method: The data of 80 patients aged ≥ 65 years who followed up in intensive care clinic. The inflammatory parameters and clinical course of 40 patients whose serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-D level was below 30ng/ml and who received vitamin-D supplementation (case-group) were recorded on the fifth and tenth days of follow-upand compared with those of the other 40 patients who were hospitalized during the initial period of the pandemic and who did not receive vitamin-D supplementation (control-group). Results: Cytokine release syndrome, has developed in the case group rarely. On the 10.day, levels of the inflammatory markers C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, D-dimer, ferritin, interleukin-6, and lactate dehydrogenase were significantly lower and the lymphocyte count was significantly higher in the case group than in the control group. On the 5.day, the interleukin-6 level was significantly lower in the case group. Weaning was performed in nine and four patients in the case and control groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in mortality rates between the groups. Conclusion: Vitamin-D supplementation can help reduce cytokine response. Recommended prophylactically or therapeutically at all stages of coronavirus disease.

Keywords

• elderly patients
• covid-19
• cytokine release syndrome
• intensivecareunits
• vitamin d
• geriatrik popülasyon
• covid-19
• sitokin fırtınası
• yoğun bakım üniteleri
• d vitamini