AUTHOR=Cervero Miguel , López-Wolf Daniel , Casado Guiomar , Novella-Mena Maria , Ryan-Murua Pablo , Taboada-Martínez María Luisa , Rodríguez-Mora Sara , Vigón Lorena , Coiras Mayte , Torres Montserrat 

TITLE=Beneficial Effect of Short-Term Supplementation of High Dose of Vitamin D3 in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19: A Multicenter, Single-Blinded, Prospective Randomized Pilot Clinical Trial

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2022.863587

DOI=10.3389/fphar.2022.863587

ISSN=1663-9812

ABSTRACT=<p>There is now sufficient evidence to support that vitamin D deficiency may predispose to SARS-CoV-2 infection and increase COVID-19 severity and mortality. It has been suggested that vitamin D<sub>3</sub> supplementation may be used prophylactically as an affordable and safe strategy that could be added to the existing COVID-19 standard treatment. This multicenter, single-blinded, prospective randomized pilot clinical trial aimed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and effectiveness of 10,000 IU/day in comparison with 2000 IU/day of cholecalciferol supplementation for 14 days to reduce the duration and severity of COVID-19 in 85 hospitalized individuals. The median age of the participants was 65 years (Interquartile range (IQR): 53–74), most of them (71%) were men and the mean baseline of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in serum was 15 ng/ml (standard deviation (SD):6). After 14 days of supplementation, serum 25(OH)D levels were significantly increased in the group who received 10,000IU/day (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.0001) (<italic>n</italic> = 44) in comparison with the 2,000IU/day group (<italic>n</italic> = 41), especially in overweight and obese participants, and the higher dose was well tolerated. A fraction of the individuals in our cohort (10/85) developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The median length of hospital stay in these patients with ARDS was significantly different in the participants assigned to the 10,000IU/day group (<italic>n</italic> = 4; 7 days; IQR: 4–13) and the 2,000IU/day group (<italic>n</italic> = 6; 27 days; IQR: 12–45) (<italic>p</italic> = 0.04). Moreover, the inspired oxygen fraction was reduced 7.6-fold in the high dose group (<italic>p</italic> = 0.049). In terms of blood parameters, we did not identify overall significant improvements, although the platelet count showed a modest but significant difference in those patients who were supplemented with the higher dose (<italic>p</italic> = 0.0492). In conclusion, the administration of 10,000IU/day of vitamin D<sub>3</sub> for 14 days in association with the standard clinical care during hospitalization for COVID-19 was safe, tolerable, and beneficial, thereby helping to improve the prognosis during the recovery process.</p>