A randomized pilot study using calcitriol in hospitalized COVID-19 patients
Bone Volume 154, Jan 2022, 116175 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bone.2021.116175
Yasmine M.ElamiraHajiraAmiraStevenLimbYesha PatelRanabCarolina GonzalezLopezbNatalia VieraFelicianobAliOmarbWilliam PaulGristcMichael A.Viaa
Highlights
•Vitamin D has potent immunomodulatory effects on innate and adaptive immune system.
•Vitamin D associated actions suppress acute lung injury.
•Studies show possible association with Vitamin D deficiency, ARDS and cytokine storm.
•In our study calcitriol improves oxygenation in patients hospitalized with COVID 19.
The systemic illness associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection results in hospitalization rate of 380.3 hospitalizations per 100,000 population, overwhelming health care systems. Vitamin D regulates expression of approximately 11,000 genes spanning many physiologic functions that include regulation of both innate and adaptive immune function. We investigate potential benefit of calcitriol therapy given to patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
This was an open label, randomized clinical trial of calcitriol or no treatment given to hospitalized adult patients with COVID-19. Subjects were randomly assigned treatment with calcitriol 0.5 μg daily for 14 days or hospital discharge; or no treatment (1:1) at time of enrollment.
We enrolled 50 consecutive patients, 25 per trial arm. The change in peripheral arterial oxygen saturation to the inspired fraction of oxygen (SaO2/FIO2 ratio) was calculated on admission and discharge between the groups. The control group had an average increase of +13.2 (±127.7) on discharge and the calcitriol group had an increase of +91.04 (±119.08) (p = .0305), suggesting an improvement in oxygenation among subjects who received calcitriol. Additionally, 12 patients in the control group required oxygen supplementation on admission and 21 of them were discharged on room air. 14 subjects needed oxygen supplementation in the calcitriol group on admission while all 25 were discharged on room air.
Other clinical markers showed the average length of stay was
- 24 (±9.4) in the control group compared to
- 5.5 (±3.9) days in the calcitriol group (p = .14).
The need for ICU transfer was
- 8 in the control group and
- 5 in the calcitriol group.
There were
- 3 deaths and 4 readmissions in the control group and
- 0 deaths and 2 readmissions in the calcitriol group.
This pilot study illustrates improvement in oxygenation among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 treated with calcitriol and suggests the need for a larger randomized trial.
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VitaminDWiki - studies in both categories Calcitriol and Virus
- Calcitriol (active Vitamin D) prevents and treats COVID (with Chronic Kidney Disease in this case) June 2022
- Tiny COVID-19 pilot study found that Calcitriol helped – but not statistically significant - Jan 2022
- Kidney patients who happened to be getting high-dose Calcitriol were 9X less likely to die of COVID-19 - April 6, 2021
- Active vitamin D (calcitriol) might fight COVID-19 – Jan 5, 2021
Note: Calcitriol is available only by prescription
VitaminDWiki - studies in both categories Calcidiol and Virus
- Calcifediol (semi-activated Vitamin D) might treat Respiratory Diseases such as COVID - July 2022
- Two times less likely to test positive for COVID if vitamin D level more than 55ng, etc. – Dec 31, 2021
- Large dose of calcifediol or vitamin D up to 15 days before COVID hospitalization reduced death rates (1.5X, 1.3X) – Dec 2021
- Vitamin D trial for COVID-19 – using their patented slow-release form – Aug 2021
- COVID-19 death 40 percent less likely if supplemented with Vitamin D and got above 30 ng (Spain 108,000 people) – July 2021
- 7X less likely to go to ICU if COVID-19 ward gave calcifediol (semi-activated Vitamin D) – July 2021
- 5X less likely to enter ICU with COVID-19 if get Calcifediol (semi-activated vitamin D) - RCT Feb 19, 2021
- COVID-19 defeated by calcifediol form of Vitamin D in Spain - pilot RCT Aug 29, 2020