ABSTRACT
During the pandemic of new coronavirus infection, the prevalence of moderate to severe vitamin D deficiency remains high, which is a factor worsening the course of COVID-19. According to some studies, cholecalciferol therapy, added to standard COVID-19 ther-apy, is associated with improving the course and prognosis of the disease. Objective. To evaluate the effect of cholecalciferol therapy at a dose of 100,000 IU on clinical and laboratory parameters in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 admitted to an infectious hospital. Material and methods. An open single-center interventional study included 129 COVID-19 patients who were further randomized into two groups. Group 1 patients (n=65) received a total dose of 100,000 IU of cholecalciferol in addition to the standard COVID-19 therapy. Group 2 patients (n=64) received standard therapy only. Results. On day 9 of hospitalization, group 1 patients (receiving cholecalciferol) showed a 40.7% increase in serum 25(OH)D level, while group 2 patients (without cholecalciferol therapy) showed a negative trend (p<0.001). In addition, group 1 patients showed higher neutrophil and lymphocyte counts (p=0.047;p=0.025), and a lower level of C-reactive protein (p=0.028). A negative association was found between 25(OH)D levels and CRP values and between 25(OH)D levels and the length of hospital stay. Conclusion. Adding cholecalciferol as a bolus dose to standard COVID-19 therapy has a positive effect on the disease's clinical course and inflammatory markers' levels. Copyright © K.A. GOLOVATYUK, T.L. KARONOVA, A.A. MIKHAILOVA, D.I. LAGUTINA, A.T. CHERNIKOVA, E.YU. VASILIEVA, E.V. SHLYAKHTO.