Effect of Vitamin D3 supplementation vs. dietary-hygienic measures on SARS-COV-2 infection rates in hospital workers with 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] levels ≥20 ng/mL

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundThere is scant information on the effect of supplementation with vitamin D3 in SARS-COV-2 infection cases when patient 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] levels are between 20-100ng/mL. Our aim was to evaluate the effect of supplementation with vitamin D3 vs. dietary-hygienic measures on the SARS-COV-2 infection rate in participants with serum 25(OH)D3 levels ≥20ng/mL.MethodsWe invited hospital workers with 25(OH)D3 levels between 20-100 ng/mL and no previous SARS-COV-2 infection; they were randomized as follows: treatment options were a) vitamin D3 supplementation (52,000 IU monthly, G1) or b) dietary-hygienic measures (G2). We conducted a 3- to 6-month follow-up of SARS-COV-2 infections. Participants with 25(OH)D3 levels <20 ng/mL were also analyzed. We divided these latter participants depending on whether they were supplemented (G3) or not (G4).ResultsWe analyzed 198 participants, with an average age of 44.4 (SD 9) years, and 130 (65.7%) were women. G1 had less cases of SARS-COV-2 infection than G2 after a follow-up of 3- to 6-months (p<0.05). There were no differences between G3 and G4 at the 3- and 6-month follow-up cutoff points (p>0.05). Using mixed effect Cox regression analysis in 164 participants that completed six months of follow-up, vitamin D3 supplementation appeared to act as a protective factor against SARS-COV-2 infection (HR 0.21, p=0.008) in G1 and G2. None of the participants treated with the supplementation doses had serum 25(OH)D3 levels > 100ng/mL.ConclusionVitamin D3 supplementation in participants with 25(OH)D3 levels between 20-100 ng/mL have a lower rate of SARS-COV-2 infection in comparison with the use of dietary-hygienic measures at six months follow-up.