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. 2022 Jan 13;14(2):317.
doi: 10.3390/nu14020317.

Vitamin D Status and SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Cohort of Kidney Transplanted Patients

Anna Regalia  1 , Matteo Benedetti  1 , Silvia Malvica  1 , Carlo Alfieri  1   2 , Mariarosaria Campise  1 , Donata Cresseri  1 , Maria Teresa Gandolfo  1 , Federica Tripodi  1 , Giuseppe Castellano  1   2 , Piergiorgio Messa  1
Affiliations

Vitamin D Status and SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Cohort of Kidney Transplanted Patients

Anna Regalia et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Background: Recently the protective role of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) against viral infections has been hypothesized. We evaluated the association between vitamin D status and SARS-CoV-2 infection susceptibility and severity in a cohort of kidney transplanted patients (KTxp).

Methods: A total of 61 KTxp with SARS-CoV-2 infection (COV+) were matched with 122 healthy KTxp controls (COV-). Main biochemical parameters at 1, 6, and 12 months before SARS-CoV-2 infection were recorded. Vitamin D status was considered as the mean of two 25(OH)D measures obtained 6 ± 2 months apart during the last year. The severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection was based on the need for hospitalization (HOSP+) and death (D+).

Results: 25(OH)D levels were lower in COV+ than in controls [19(12-26) vs. 23(17-31) ng/mL, p = 0.01]. No differences among the other biochemical parameters were found. The SARS-CoV-2 infection discriminative power of 25(OH)D was evaluated by ROC-curve (AUC 0.61, 95% CI 0.5-0.7, p = 0.01). 25(OH)D was not significantly different between HOSP+ and HOSP- [17(8-25) vs. 20(15-26) ng/mL, p = 0.19] and between D+ and D- [14(6-23) vs. 20(14-26) ng/mL, p = 0.22] and had no significant correlation with disease length.

Conclusions: During the year preceding the infection, 25(OH)D levels were lower in COV+ KTxp in comparison with controls matched for demographic features and comorbidities. No significant association between vitamin D status and SARS-CoV-2 infection related outcomes was found.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2 infection; kidney transplantation; vitamin D.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow-chart of the study. KTx, kidney transplantation; KTxp, kidney transplanted patients; COV+: KTxp with SARS-CoV-2 infection; COV-, KTxp without SARS-CoV-2 infection; 25(OH)D, 25-hydroxyvitamin D.
Figure 2
Figure 2
ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) curve for discriminative power of vitamin D status respect COV positivity. AUC 0.61 (95% CI 0.6–0.7), p = 0.01; Youden Index 0.21; criterion value corresponding to Youden Index: ≤24.4 ng/mL, sensitivity 74%, specificity 47%.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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