SERUM VITAMIN D LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH OSTEOPOROSIS BEFORE AND AFTER COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Abstract

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic regenerated the immune-modulatory role of vitamin D and various data showed that people with normal values of serum vitamin D, had fewer chances of having a severe SARS-CoV-2 infection. This fact impulsed medical staff to advise their patients to increase their daily dose of vitamin D. This study aimed to evaluate the levels of serum vitamin D in patients with osteoporosis before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: This is a prospective study. 222 osteoporosis patients were evaluated for their vitamin D levels before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic and 2 y later. They were also asked if there was another reason other than osteoporosis for them, to take vitamin D supplementation more regularly. All patients were part of a two-centered study to evaluate the level of vitamin D and consciousness for their primary disease and SARS-CoV-2 infection prophylaxis.
Results: Of 222 patients with osteoporosis, 156 (70.3%) had their vitamin D level increased compared to 2 y ago. The average increase of vitamin D levels in these patients was 35.2%. According to 121 patients (54.5%), the pandemic was a strong reason to
ameliorate their therapy with vitamin D supplementation.
Conclusion: From our study, it was seen that there existed a
strong increase in vitamin D levels in patients with osteoporosis
in 2 y during the COVID-19 pandemic. It existed a greater awareness for the protection that vitamin D levels offer regarding immunity, following medical advice. COVID-19 awareness maybe was stronger than osteoporosis awareness.