Association of Vitamin D and Severity of COVID-19 in Children

There is an association between vitamin D and severity of COVID-19 symptoms in young children in Iran. Pediatric patients with high and low vitamin D levels had more severe symptoms.

• Low oxygen saturation was observed in 35.3% of infected children.  
• The level of involvement was higher in subjects with vitamin D levels higher than 30 and less than 10 ng/mL.
• Clinical signs in cases with deficient and sufficient vitamin D levels were more severe in terms of tachypnea and tachycardia.  
• Children with vitamin D lower than 10 ng/ml showed more frequency.  
• Cases with moderate vitamin D had fewer gastrointestinal complications.
• Oxygen levels were lower in children who had low levels of vitamin D. 

101 patients aged 1 month to 13 years (average age 2.85 years referred to Hazrat Ali Asghar Hospital, who were tested positive for COVID-19 from September 2020 to October 2021. 

This was a one center study and the researchers had limited access to the subjects, they mainly reviewed records. 

In conclusion, the present study showed that vitamin D levels were associated with levels of involvement, tachycardia, tachypnea, clinical signs, gastrointestinal problems, and O2 levels. Therefore, vitamin D can be effective in reducing the severity of COVID-19. The most important finding of the present study was the importance of moderate levels of vitamin D and their effects on clinical symptoms and important health factors, and this issue should be considered by health officials. 

Information on vitamin D levels, demographic factors, and clinical and laboratory findings were documented in information forms and prepared for statistical analyses. 

Karimian P, Tahami MS, Sayyahfar S, Aghajani Delavar M. Association of vitamin D and severity of COVID-19 in children. Eur J Transl Myol. 2022 Apr 20;32(2):10453. doi: 10.4081/ejtm.2022.10453. PMID: 35441835; PMCID: PMC9295166.