Short Term, High Dose Vitamin D Supplementation for COVID-19 Disease: Double Blind, Controlled, Study

The role of therapeutic vitamin D supplementation in asymptomatic individuals with vitamin-D deficiency and COVID-19 is not known. Immune-modulatory effect of vitamin D is likely to be observed at 25(OH)D levels which are considered higher than that required for normal bone metabolism.[6] An earlier SARS-CoV-2 negativity may have significant public health benefits in limiting the spread of the disease. Therefore, we hypothesise that high dose vitamin D supplementation in patients with COVID-19 and vitamin D deficiency may lead to SARS-CoV-2 negativity in greater proportions of patients associated with decrease in serological markers of inflammation.

Methods: Consecutive individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection who were mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic with or without co-morbidities (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive airway disease, chronic liver disease) admitted to tertiary care hospital in north India were invited for the study. A written consent was obtained from all patients included in the study and protocol was approved by the Institute Ethics Committee.

Patients with vitamin D deficiency defined as 25 (OH)D level<20 ng/ml were randomized to receive daily 60,000IU of cholecalciferol (5 ml oral solution in nano droplet form) for seven days in the "intervention arm" or to receive a single dose of 60,000 IU vitamin D supplementation at admission in the "control arm". Patients unable to take oral supplementation like those requiring invasive ventilation were excluded. Subsequently, 25(OH)D levels were assessed at day 7 and a weekly supplementation of 60,000IU provided to those with 25(OH)D >50 ng/ml or continued on daily vitamin D 60,000 IU supplementation for another seven days in participants with 25 (OH)D<50ng/ml (day-14) in the intervention arm. No vitamin D supplementation was provided in the control arm other than the initial dose at hospital admission.

25 (OH)D, serum calcium, phosphorus, fibrinogen , d-dimer, C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, renal and liver function tests were performed periodically up till day-21 or virus negativity, whichever occurred earlier. Oro-pharyngeal swabs were obtained for SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection at day-5, 7, 10, 14, 18 and 21 and detection was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), CFX-96 IVD, Bio-Rad. 25 (OH)D was analysed by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) (Roche Cobas E 801 Analyzer; Roche Diagnostics), using the kit supplied by the same manufacturer (Elecsys Total Vitamin D, version 2.0). Serum calcium (N, 8.5-10.2 mg/dl) and C-reactive protein (N, 0-5 mg/l) were processed by ECLIA method using Roche Cobas 8000, Roche Diagnostics. D dimer (N, 0-240 ng/ml) & fibrinogen (N, 2-4g/l) were analyzed using Stago Compact/ Stago STA R model, Diagnostica Stago, Inc, USA respectively.