Vitamin D helps Covid recovery: Study

NIMS and Gandhi Hospital research included 87 patients from across Telangana

Hyderabad: For the first time in Telangana, a study carried out on local Covid positive patients has indicated that adding Vitamin D in the treatment protocols will lead to improved outcomes i.e., recovery of Covid positive patients.

The study, which was taken up by doctors at Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) and Gandhi Hospital, and was published in Scientific Reports of noted peer-reviewed journal Nature on May 21, included understanding the impact of daily high dose of oral Vitamin D therapy on the inflammatory markers among Covid-19 patients.

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To understand the severity of Covid-19 positive patients, doctors usually prescribe tests to track the level of inflammatory markers like C-Reactive Protein (CRP), Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH), IL6, D dimer. The higher the levels of the inflammatory markers, greater are the chances of cytokine storm, resulting in the death of the patient.

The NIMS and Gandhi Hospital study on Covid positive patients clearly indicated that administration of vitamin-D therapy to Covid-19 positive patients is causing a significant reduction of all the measured inflammatory markers, which is improving the outcomes or recoveries among patients.

The research, which included 87 patients from across Telangana at Gandhi Hospital, was also aimed to objectively investigate the impact of Vitamin-D in reducing the inflammatory markers of Covid-19.

“Consented Covid-19 patients with hypovitaminosis D were evaluated for inflammatory markers (N/L ratio, CRP, LDH, IL6, Ferritin) along with vitamin D on 0th day and 9th/11th day as per their respective BMI category,” the study said.

One group consisting of 44 Covid positive patients were put on Vitamin-D therapy with a targeted daily supplementation of 60,000 IUs of vitamin D for 8 to 10 days, while another group of 43 patients continued to receive the normal Covid treatment.

“In patients who received Vitamin-D, there was significant drop in all the inflammatory markers while the drop among the group that was not on Vitamin D therapy was insignificant,” said Associate Professor, Orthopaedics, NIMS, Dr Maheshwar Lakkireddy.

“Therapeutic improvement in vitamin D to 80–100 ng/ml has significantly reduced the inflammatory markers associated with Covid-19 without any side effects. Hence, adjunctive Vitamin D therapy can be added safely to the existing treatment protocols of Covid-19 for improved outcomes,” the study said.

Doctors who were part of the study include Srikanth Goud Gadiga, R D Malathi, Madhu Latha Karra, I S S V Prasad Murthy Raju, Ragini, Sangeetha Chinapaka, K S S Sai Baba and Director of NIMS, Manohar Kandakatla.

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