Home > Articles > Published articles > Low Zinc Levels at Admission Associates with Poor Clinical Outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 Infection |
Date: | 2021 |
Abstract: | Background: Zinc is an essential micronutrient that impacts host-pathogen interplay at infection. Zinc balances immune responses, and also has a proven direct antiviral action against some viruses. Importantly, zinc deficiency (ZD) is a common condition in elderly and individuals with chronic diseases, two groups with an increased risk for severe severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outcomes. We hypothesize that serum zinc content (SZC) influences COVID-19 disease progression, and thus might represent a useful biomarker. Methods: We ran an observational cohort study with 249 COVID-19 patients admitted in Hospital del Mar. We have studied COVID-19 severity and progression attending to SZC at admission. In parallel, we have studied severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) replication in the Vero E6 cell line modifying zinc concentrations. Findings: Our study demonstrates a correlation between serum zinc levels and COVID-19 outcome. Serum zinc levels lower than 50 µg/dL at admission correlated with worse clinical presentation, longer time to reach stability, and higher mortality. Our in vitro results indicate that low zinc levels favor viral expansion in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. Interpretation: Low SZC is a risk factor that determines COVID-19 outcome. We encourage performing randomized clinical trials to study zinc supplementation as potential prophylaxis and treatment with people at risk of zinc deficiency. |
Grants: | Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación PID2019-106755RB-I00 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación PID2019-106959RB-I00 Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca 2017SGR909 Instituto de Salud Carlos III CB16-10-00245 Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación PI19-00019 |
Note: | Altres ajuts: An institutional "Maria de Maeztu" Programme for Units of Excellence in R&D (CEX2018-000792-M) to R.V. and J.D. |
Rights: | Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original. |
Language: | Anglès |
Document: | Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada |
Subject: | SARS-CoV-2 ; Zinc ; Clinical outcomes |
Published in: | Nutrients, Vol. 13 (february 2021) , ISSN 2072-6643 |
13 p, 6.9 MB |