The effect of vitamin D supplementation on mortality and intensive care unit admission of COVID-19 patients. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression

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#covid-19 #dietary-supplements #humans #intensive-care-units #vitamin-d

The effect of vitamin D supplementation on mortality and intensive care unit admission of COVID-19 patients. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression

Tentolouris et al., 2022 | Diabetes Metab Res Rev | Meta Analysis

Citation

Tentolouris Nikolaos, Samakidou Georgia, ... Jude Edward B. The effect of vitamin D supplementation on mortality and intensive care unit admission of COVID-19 patients. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression. Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2022-May;38(4):e3517. doi:10.1002/dmrr.3517

Abstract

AIMS: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on mortality and admission to intensive care unit (ICU) of COVID-19 patients. METHODS: A systematic search of PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, Web of Science and medRxiv with terms relative to vitamin D supplementation and COVID-19 was conducted on 26 March 2021. Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software was used for the quantitative assessment of data and random-effects model was applied. To investigate the association between the dose of vitamin D and the outcomes of interest, meta-regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: Two thousand and seventy-eight patients from nine studies with data on mortality were included (583 received vitamin D supplementation, while 1495 did not). Sixty-one (10.46%) individuals in the treated group died, compared to 386 (25.81%) in the non-treated group (odds ratio [OR]: 0.597; 95% CI: 0.318-1.121; p = 0.109). Eight hundred and sixty patients from six studies with data on ICU admission were included (369 received vitamin D supplementation, while 491 did not). Forty-five (12.19%) individuals in the treated group were admitted to ICU, compared to 129 (26.27%) in the non-treated group (OR: 0.326; 95% CI: 0.149-0.712; p = 0.005). No significant linear relationship between vitamin D dose and log OR of mortality or log OR of ICU admission was observed. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis indicates a beneficial role of vitamin D supplementation on ICU admission, but not on mortality, of COVID-19 patients. Further research is urgently needed to understand the benefit of vitamin D in COVID-19.

Key Findings

Two thousand and seventy-eight patients from nine studies with data on mortality were included (583 received vitamin D supplementation, while 1495 did not). Sixty-one (10.46%) individuals in the treated group died, compared to 386 (25.81%) in the non-treated group (odds ratio [OR]: 0.597; 95% CI: 0.318-1.121; p = 0.109). Eight hundred and sixty patients from six studies with data on ICU admission were included (369 received vitamin D supplementation, while 491 did not). Forty-five (12.19%) indiv

Outcomes Measured

  • Requires manual extraction

Population

Field Value
Population See abstract
Sample Size 19
Age Range See abstract
Condition See abstract

MeSH Terms

  • COVID-19
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Humans
  • Intensive Care Units
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin D Deficiency
  • Vitamins

Evidence Classification

  • Level: Meta Analysis
  • Publication Types: Journal Article, Meta-Analysis, Systematic Review
  • Vertical: vitamin-d-mortality

Provenance

Source extracted via PubMed E-utilities API on 2026-04-09