Ünsal, Yasemin AydoğanGül, Özen ÖzCander, SonerErsoy, CananAydemir, EnsarAteş, CoşkunUzun, ZiyaArmağan, ErsinÜnsal, OktayErtürk, Elif2024-06-252024-06-252021-04-051720-83860391-4097https://doi.org/10.1007/s40618-021-01566-9https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40618-021-01566-9https://hdl.handle.net/11452/42385Purpose The aim of the study was to investigate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status within the last 6 months prior to COVID-19 infection and parameters of immune function and clinical outcomes. Methods Fifty-six patients, who were admitted to the emergency clinic and diagnosed with COVID-19 infection, were included in the study. Data on clinical characteristics, inflammatory parameters and vitamin D status were recorded for each patient. All the participants had data on 25-hydroxyvitamin D status within the last 6 months prior to COVID-19 infection. Results The patients were stratified as those with vitamin D status less than 20 ng/mL and higher than 20 ng/mL. A group with vitamin D status less than 20 ng/mL had lower lymphocyte counts and lower haemoglobin levels that was statistically significant (respectively; p = 0.021, p = 0.035). Higher C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were seen in the vitamin D-deficient group (p = 0.013). It was observed that vitamin D status of the patients who required oxygen therapy were lower than those who did not require oxygen therapy, not statistically significant (p = 0.05). Patients who did not use vitamin D supplementation within 6 months prior to COVID-19 infection had more likely to be diagnosed with pneumonia (p = 0.004). Conclusion Cases with lower vitamin D status had increased inflammatory markers and worse clinical outcomes than patients with higher vitamin D status. This study suggests that vitamin D status can be used as a prognostic factor in COVID-19 patients, and vitamin D supplementation can be recommended to improve the clinical outcomes in COVID-19 infection.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessVitamin DCovid-19ImmunityAnti-inflammatoryPneumoniaScience & technologyLife sciences & biomedicineEndocrinology & metabolismArticle0006369117000012601260744123381873110.1007/s40618-021-01566-9