Abstract
Insufficient vitamin D levels in the bloodstream, together with the presence of specific genetic variations
known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the VDR gene, have consistently been linked
to a higher likelihood of contracting and experiencing more severe forms of various diseases such as
the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to explore the potential connection between vitamin D
levels, Bsml and FOKI polymorphisms, and COVID-19 infection outcomes. A case-control study was
conducted with COVID-19 patients and a control group of non-COVID-19 patients (n = 107 each). The
associations between vitamin D status, polymorphisms, and COVID susceptibility were investigated.
Participants diagnosed with COVID-19 exhibited an average age of 48.84 ± 12.18, while non-COVID-19
patients had an average age of 46.82 ± 9.903. Disease severity, assessed by the CT severity score,
showed negative correlation with the Vitamin D levels. Among participants with COVID-19, the mean
level of vitamin D was 35.25 ± 9.40 ng/mL while non-COVID-19 patients showed 38.85 ± 9.40 ng/mL
with a significant difference (p = 0.004**) although among COVID-19 cases, 87 (81.3%) individuals
had sufficient vitamin D levels and non severity of disease was more i.e. 54 (50.5%) among the COVID
patients who had sufficient level of Vitamin D. The study found no significant association between
Vitamin D levels and rs1544410 Bsml polymorphism (p = 0.429). However, it is important to highlight
a weak significant association observed between with Fok1 polymorphism (p = 0.049). These findings
underscore the weak influence of genetic factors, particularly VDR Fok1 gene variants, in shaping
an individual’s susceptibility to COVID-19. A significant difference in vitamin D status was observed
between the COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 groups and lower level was observed in the COVID-19 infected
patients. Furthermore, a weak significant association was observed between Fok1 rs2228570 genotype
and COVID-19 susceptibility. Larger sample sizes are warranted to comprehensively understand the
association between different genotypes and COVID-19 outcomes. |
