VITACOV: Vitamin D Polymorphisms and Severity of COVID-19 Infection

VITACOV: Vitamin D-related Polymorphisms and Vitamin D Levels as Risk Biomarkers of COVID-19 Infection Severity

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.

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.

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.