Does vitamin D level have an effect on COVID-19 positivity and COVID-19 related mortality? A retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the possible relationship between vitamin D and coronavirus disease-2019 in an urban population known to have relatively low vitamin D levels. METHODS: The retrospective study was conducted in Bursa, Turkey, and comprised data of 30 family health centers from March 1 to December 15, 2020, related to diagnosed inpatients of coronovairus disease-2019. The diagnosis was based on polymerase chain reaction test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection. Vitamin D levels of these patients were obtained from previous records and compared with those without polymerase chain reaction positivity. Vitamin D levels of positive patients who survived were compared with those who died of coronavirus disease-2019. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: Of the 2,105 patients whose data was retrieved, 212(10%) were positive for coronavirus disease-2019, while 1,893(90%) were negative. Among the positive patients, 89(42%) were men and 123(58%) were women. The overall median age was 45 years (Q1-Q3(Q1: first quartile, Q3: third quartile): 35-56 years). Vitamin D level was not significantly different between the positive and negative patients (p>0.05). Among the positive patients, 2(0.9%) patients did not have new admissions to the designated centers and their data was excluded, 206(97.2%) survived and 4(1.9%) died. There was no significant difference in vitamin D levels between those who survived and those who died (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant relationship found between vitamin D levels and coronavirus disease-2019 infection and related deaths.

Evaluation of the prognostic role of NLR, LMR, PLR, and LCR ratio in COVID-19 patients.

We aimed to find the most useful biomarker by examining the prognostic effect of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), lymphocyte-monocyte ratio (LMR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and lymphocyte-C reactive protein ratio (LCR) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Three hundred and four patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection in our hospital within 5 months (April-August 2020) were examined. Laboratory values and demographic findings of the patients were analyzed retrospectively. Thirty-six patients were diagnosed with severe cases. The ratio of NLR, LMR, PLR, and LCR of patients with severe and those with nonsevere clinical symptoms were statistically analyzed. The NLR and PLR ratios of those with severe clinical symptoms were significantly higher (p < 0.001), the LCR rate was significantly lower (p < 0.001), and there was no significant difference in the LMR rate (p = 0.199). When we examined other peripheral blood parameters, we found that CRP was high, lymphocyte and monocyte were low (p < 0.001), but neutrophil (p = 0.416) and platelet (p = 0.998) were not statistically different between the groups. According to the results, routine blood values are abnormal in patients with COVID-19. NLR, PLR, and LCR ratios can be used as more significant biomarkers than other values in predicting the prognosis of patients.