COVID-19
Conditions
Keywords
COVID-19, Vitamin D, Vitamin D polymorphisms
Brief summary
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to hypertension, autoimmune, infectious and cardiovascular diseases which are risk factors for COVID-19. Moreover, COVID-19 patients have a very high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D (Turin data). Taken together, we aim to investigate whether genetic variants in vitamin D-related genes contribute to a poor COVID-19 outcome, particularly in hypertension and CV patients, proposing thus a personalized therapeutics based on vitamin D supplementation in order to reduce the severity and deaths.
Detailed description
Collected data from Turin University indicate that hospitalized patients have a very high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D. Reports from China and Italy show that hypertension presents an increased risk of COVID-19-related death. Otherwise, observational studies suggest that 25(OH)D induces protection against respiratory pathogens while large-scale studies indicate that serum 25(OH)D-level is inversely correlated to hypertension prevalence. Recent published data (2020) shows that 66% of Portuguese adults present Vitamin D deficiency. HeartGenetics' genetic database with more than 8.500 Portuguese genotypes shows that the prevalence of vitamin D polymorphisms in this population is 4-fold higher than the EU average, increasing the risk of hypovitaminosis D.
Interventions
OTHERExposure
Individuals with SARS-CoV-2 exposure and COVID-19 symptoms.
Sponsors
Cardiovascular Centre of Universidade de Lisboa (CCUL)
Faculty of Medicine of Universidade de Lisboa (FMUL)
Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte
Centro Hospitalar Universitário São João (CHUSJ)
CINTESIS - Center for Health Technology and Services Research
Universidade Nova de Lisboa
HeartGenetics, Genetics and Biotechnology SA
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência (IGC)
University of Lisbon
Study design
Observational model
CASE_ONLY
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Adults of 18 years and above. * COVID-19 patients admitted with mild to severe disease (admission to isolation room) or critical patients (admission to ICU). * Available to comply with study protocol and sign informed consent.
Exclusion criteria
* Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 not admitted to hospital. * Patients unable to provide informed consent.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Differences in vitamin D blood levels between COVID-19 patients with different degrees of disease severity. | Blood samples of COVID-19 patients will be collected at baseline (after subject enrollment; single point collection). |
| Differences in genetic variants in vitamin D-related genes between COVID-19 patients with different degrees of disease severity. | Blood samples of COVID-19 patients will be collected at baseline (after subject enrollment; single point collection). |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Differences in vitamin D blood levels between COVID-19 patients in relation to duration of mechanical ventilation. | Through study completion, an average of 3 months. |
| Differences in genetic variants in vitamin D-related genes between COVID-19 patients in relation to mortality. | Through study completion, an average of 3 months. |
| Differences in vitamin D blood levels between COVID-19 patients in relation to mortality. | Through study completion, an average of 3 months. |
| Differences in genetic variants in vitamin D-related genes between COVID-19 patients in relation to duration of mechanical ventilation. | Through study completion, an average of 3 months. |
| Differences in genetic variants in vitamin D-related genes between COVID-19 patients in relation to length of stay in hospitals. | Through study completion, an average of 1 year. |
| Differences in vitamin D blood levels between COVID-19 patients in relation to length of stay in hospitals. | Through study completion, an average of 3 months. |
Countries
Portugal
Outcome results
None listed