Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism (Mar 2021)

No association between vitamin D status and COVID-19 infection in São Paulo, Brazil

  • Cynthia M. Álvares Brandão,
  • Maria Izabel Chiamolera,
  • Rosa Paula Mello Biscolla,
  • José Viana Lima Junior,
  • Cláudia M De Francischi Ferrer,
  • Wesley Heleno Prieto,
  • Pedro de Sá Tavares Russo,
  • José de Sá,
  • Carolina dos Santos Lazari,
  • Celso Francisco H. Granato,
  • José Gilberto H Vieira

DOI
https://doi.org/10.20945/2359-3997000000343
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 65, no. 3
pp. 381 – 385

Abstract

Read online

ABSTRACT In recent years the immunomodulatory actions of vitamin D, a steroid hormone, have been extensively studied. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the question arose as to 25(OH)D status would be related to susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection, since several studies pointed out a higher prevalence and severity of the disease in populations with low levels of 25(OH)D. Thus, we investigated the 25(OH)D levels in adults “Detected” positive for SARS CoV-2 by RT-PCR (reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction) test, and in negative controls, “not Detected”, using the Fleury Group's examination database, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Of a total of 14.692 people with recent assessments of 25(OH)D and RT-PCR tests for COVID-19, 2.345 were positive and 11.585 were negative for the infection. The groups did not differ in the percentage of men and women, or in the age distribution. There were no differences in the distribution of 25(OH)D between the two groups (p = 0.08); mean 25(OH)D of 28.8 ± 21.4 ng/mL and 29.6 ± 18.1 ng/mL, respectively. In the specific population studied, clinical, environmental, socioeconomic and cultural factors should have greater relevance than 25(OH)D in determining the susceptibility to COVID-19.

Keywords