Objective Vitamin D, due to its immunomodulating effect, zinc, and vitamin A, which affect cellular and humoral immunity, are thought to affect the clinical severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. The present study evaluates the association between vitamin A, D, and zinc deficiencies and disease severity in pediatric patients with COVID-19 infections.

Methods The levels of vitamin A, D, and zinc at the time of diagnosis of 123 pediatric patients who presented to our hospital and were diagnosed as having hospitalized, nonhospitalized COVID-19 infection group, and multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) were evaluated. The correlations of the measured levels with the disease severity and the need for intensive care or hospitalization were analyzed.

Results Among the 123 patients, 21.1% (n = 26), 42.2% (n = 52), and 36.7% (n = 45) had a diagnosis of MIS-C, belonged to the hospitalized COVID-19 infection group, or belonged to the nonhospitalized COVID-19 infection group, respectively. Zinc levels were significantly lower in the MIS-C group than in the nonhospitalized group (p < 0.05). Vitamin A levels were found to be significantly lower in the MIS-C group than in the nonhospitalized group (p < 0.01) and significantly lower in the hospitalized group when compared with the nonhospitalized group (p < 0.001). Deficiencies in vitamin A, vitamin D, and zinc levels were found to be most common in the MIS-C group (42.3%) and in hospitalized COVID-19 group (15.3%). In the nonhospitalized COVID-19 group, it was found to be the lowest at 6.6%.

Conclusion Based on the results of the present study and a literature review, it can be said that vitamin A, D, and zinc deficiencies may associate with the severity of COVID-19, although more studies are required to clarify this subject further.

Approval from the ethics board of the university was obtained for the study (Decision number: 2021/3270).

Received: 08 April 2022

Accepted: 05 August 2022

Article published online:
16 September 2022

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