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2000
Volume 21, Issue 4
  • ISSN: 1573-4013
  • E-ISSN: 2212-3881

Abstract

Background

Despite the potential role of vitamin D in the acute phase of COVID-19, studies on its prevalence and association with long COVID severity are limited, leaving the relationship between vitamin D levels and long COVID symptoms unclear.

Aim

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in patients with fatigue or neuropsychiatric symptoms of long COVID and its correlation with the severity of symptoms.

Methods

A cross-sectional, single-center study was conducted at Thammasat University Hospital, Thailand. The study recruited participants between the ages of 18 and 60 years who had received a diagnosis of COVID-19 and had at least one long COVID symptom, including fatigue or neuropsychiatric symptoms. Vitamin D level was collected, and clinical severity was assessed using the Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFQ-11), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination III (ACE), and Trail Making Test A & B (TMT-A and TMT-B).

Results

A total of 82 patients were recruited; most were female (78%), with a mean age of 34.2 years. Most participants had a vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL, 73.2%), accounting for 23.2% vitamin D insufficiency (20-30 ng/mL), and 3.6% had an adequate vitamin D level. Only gender was associated with vitamin D levels. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that the vitamin D level was not correlated with all clinical outcomes, including total CFQ, total DASS, DASS depression, DASS anxiety, total PSQI, total ACE score, and total TMT scores.

Conclusion

The prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency was high in patients with long COVID, with female gender serving as predictors of lower vitamin D levels. However, no associations were found between vitamin D level and fatigue syndrome, depression, anxiety, sleep problems, or cognitive function.

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2024-10-11
2025-09-02

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Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in Patients with Fatigue and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Long COVID and its Correlation with Symptom Severity
Curr. Nutr. Food Sci. 21, 501 (2025); https://doi.org/10.2174/0115734013330182240930072138
/content/journals/cnf/10.2174/0115734013330182240930072138
/content/journals/cnf/10.2174/0115734013330182240930072138
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  • Article Type:     Research Article
Keyword(s): cognitive impairment; Depression, fatigue; long COVID; Post-COVID-19; vitamin D

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