Revisiting the role of vitamin D levels in the prevention of COVID-19 infection and mortality in European countries post infections peak
Various studies are underway to identify protective variables for the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that if indeed the Vitamin D levels would be protective in the European population, as recently proposed, the correlation would become more robust when the countries had passed the infection peak as on May 12, 2020, compared to April 8, 2020, when the majority had not. Comparative analysis of data from the mentioned stages indicated a significant increase in negative correlation of vitamin D levels with COVID-19 cases per million population in later stage (r(20): -0.5504; R2=0.3029; p-value: 0.0119 vs r(20): -0.4435; R2=0.1967; p-value: 0.0501) whereas the correlation with deaths per million population became insignificant (r(20): -0.3935; R2=0.1549; p-value: 0.0860 vs r(20): -0.4378; R2=0.1917; p-value: 0.0535). Considering divergence of vitamin D levels from the mean in subgroups, e.g. children, women, aged, dedicated exploratory studies with carefully chosen matched target groups is advisable.
Figure 1
Due to technical limitations, the tables are only available as a download in the supplemental files section.
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
Arguably Sweden's decision not to implement a lockdown means its data are drawn from a different distribution from the data of the countries that did (all of the others as far as I can tell). Recalculating the 12 May vitamin D vs deaths per million results omitting the Swedish data yields r = -0.4688, R2 = 0.2197, and p-value 0.0429.
It is in press with details as under Singh S*, Kaur R, Singh R K. Revisiting the role of vitamin D levels in the prevention of COVID-19 infection and mortality in European countries post infections peak. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2020 (in press); doi: 10.1007/s40520-020-01619-8
Posted 01 Jun, 2020
Revisiting the role of vitamin D levels in the prevention of COVID-19 infection and mortality in European countries post infections peak
Posted 01 Jun, 2020
Various studies are underway to identify protective variables for the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesized that if indeed the Vitamin D levels would be protective in the European population, as recently proposed, the correlation would become more robust when the countries had passed the infection peak as on May 12, 2020, compared to April 8, 2020, when the majority had not. Comparative analysis of data from the mentioned stages indicated a significant increase in negative correlation of vitamin D levels with COVID-19 cases per million population in later stage (r(20): -0.5504; R2=0.3029; p-value: 0.0119 vs r(20): -0.4435; R2=0.1967; p-value: 0.0501) whereas the correlation with deaths per million population became insignificant (r(20): -0.3935; R2=0.1549; p-value: 0.0860 vs r(20): -0.4378; R2=0.1917; p-value: 0.0535). Considering divergence of vitamin D levels from the mean in subgroups, e.g. children, women, aged, dedicated exploratory studies with carefully chosen matched target groups is advisable.
Figure 1
Due to technical limitations, the tables are only available as a download in the supplemental files section.
Arguably Sweden's decision not to implement a lockdown means its data are drawn from a different distribution from the data of the countries that did (all of the others as far as I can tell). Recalculating the 12 May vitamin D vs deaths per million results omitting the Swedish data yields r = -0.4688, R2 = 0.2197, and p-value 0.0429.
Thanks, Rob for pointing this out. It makes the correlation better.
It is in press with details as under Singh S*, Kaur R, Singh R K. Revisiting the role of vitamin D levels in the prevention of COVID-19 infection and mortality in European countries post infections peak. Aging Clin Exp Res. 2020 (in press); doi: 10.1007/s40520-020-01619-8
samer singh
replied on 02 June, 2020
Thanks, Rob for pointing this out. It makes the correlation better.