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. 2024 Apr 19;16(4):639.
doi: 10.3390/v16040639.

Vitamin D Levels and SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Medically Underserved Populations in the Minority and Rural Coronavirus Insights Study

Makella S Coudray  1   2 , Shantoy Hansel  1 , Salvatore Alesci  1 , William A Meyer 3rd  3 , Robert H Christenson  4 , Latrice G Landry  5 , Christina Edwards  1 , Gary Puckrein  1 , Derrick J Forney  1 , Ola Akinboboye  6
Affiliations

Vitamin D Levels and SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Medically Underserved Populations in the Minority and Rural Coronavirus Insights Study

Makella S Coudray et al. Viruses. .

Abstract

Background: Extant literature presents contradictory findings on the role of vitamin D on SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our study included an examination of the relationship between vitamin D levels and SARS-CoV-2 infection among the Minority and Rural Coronavirus Insights Study (MRCIS) cohort, a diverse population of medically underserved persons presenting at five Federally qualified health centers in the United States.

Methods: We conducted a descriptive analysis to explore the relationship between vitamin D levels and SARS-CoV-2 infection among medically underserved participants. A combined molecular and serologic assessment was used to determine the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Vitamin D was examined as both a categorical (vitamin D status: deficient, insufficient, optimal) and continuous (vitamin D level) variable. Chi-squared testing, polynomial regression models, and logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between vitamin D and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Results: The overall SARS-CoV-2 infection rate among participants was 25.9%. Most participants were either vitamin D deficient (46.5%) or insufficient (29.7%), and 23.8% had an optimal level. Vitamin D status was significantly associated with key SARS-CoV-2 infection risk factors. As mean vitamin D levels increased, the proportion of participants with SARS-CoV-2 infection decreased. For every 10 ng/mL increase in vitamin D levels the odds of SARS-CoV-2 infection decreased by 12% when adjusting for race/ethnicity and age (main effect model). Participants who identified as Hispanic/Latino or Black non-Hispanic had approximately two times increased odds of SARS-CoV-2 infection when adjusting for age and vitamin D levels compared to white non-Hispanics. However, when additional factors were added to the main effect model, the relationship between vitamin D levels and SARS-CoV-2 infection did not remain significant.

Conclusion: Vitamin D levels were associated with an increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Hispanic/Latino and Black, non-Hispanic compared to White, non-Hispanic participants were at increased odds for infection, after adjusting for race/ethnicity and age.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; health disparities; vitamin D.

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Conflict of interest statement

William A. Meyer III is a medical and technical laboratory consultant to Quest Diagnostics. Other authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection by decile of vitamin D distribution. The trend line represents a second-degree polynomial. Adjusted R2 = 0.62.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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