Examining the Correlation between Serum Folate Levels and Disease Severity in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19

Abstract

Background and Objective: Extensive research is underway to find effective treatments for clinical manifestations of COVID-19. Given the proven effectiveness of certain micronutrients, such as vitamins, in antimicrobial activity and immune system modulation for treating or preventing infectious diseases, the potential role of vitamins in the treatment or prevention of COVID-19 should be considered. The present study aimed to assess the correlation between serum folate levels in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and the severity of the disease, emphasizing the importance of relevant awareness regarding different folate levels. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, folate levels were measured in 117 COVID-19-infected patients hospitalized from January 2020 to November 2020 at Sina Hospital, Hamadan. Patients were categorized based on disease severity into three groups: mild to moderate, severe, and critical. Group differences were statistically analyzed using appropriate tests. Results: Our study revealed a statistically significant difference in folate levels among the three examined groups. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that for every one microgram per milliliter increase in folate, the probability of severe COVID-19 symptoms decreased by 23%. The large area under the ROC curve (0.864) indicates that mortality in COVID-19 patients can be well predicted based on folate levels. Conclusion: As evidenced by the obtained results, it can be stated that a reduction in serum folate levels among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 is common and is recognized as a predictive factor for COVID-19-related mortality. Consequently, monitoring folate levels and considering supplementation, if necessary, should be considered for hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

Keywords

• covid-19
• folic acid
• sars-cov-2
• vitamin b9