Objective To investigate the impact of vitamin D deficiency on the risk of osteoporosis in middle-aged and elderly individuals after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.
Methods Total of 388 middle-aged and elderly patients aged ≥ 55 years old previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the surrounding communities of Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University from December 1st 2019 to August 31st 2024 were selected, who were divided into 25-OH-VD ≥ 20 ng/ml group (182 cases) and 25-OH-VD < 20 ng/ml group (206 cases) according to 25-OH-VD sufficiency or deficiency. The general data, bone and vertebral bone structure, and SARS-CoV-2 infection related indicators of the two groups were compared, respectively. The factors affecting osteoporosis in middle-aged and elderly people aged 55 years old and over after SARS-CoV-2 infection were analyzed by Logistic regression analysis.
Results Gender of patients between 25-OH-VD ≥ 20 ng/ml and 25-OH-VD < 20 ng/ml group was significantly different (χ2 = 29.85, P < 0.001). Patients in 25-OH-VD < 20 ng/ml group had significantly lower levels of red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), white blood cells (WBC), eosinophil count (EO#), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), prealbumin (PAB), creatinine (CREA) and uric acid (URCA) compared with those of 25-OH-VD ≥ 20 ng/ml group (all P < 0.05); but phosphate ions (PHOS), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bile acids (TBA), parathyroid hormone (PTH), triiodothyronine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4) were significantly higher than those of 25-OH-VD ≥ 20 ng/ml group (all P < 0.05). T values of the left hip, right hip and lumbar spine of patients in 25-OH-VD < 20 ng/ml group were significantly lower than those of 25-OH-VD ≥ 20 ng/ml group, with significant differences (Z =-4.45, P < 0.001; Z =-4.84, P < 0.001; Z =-3.03, P = 0.002). The incidence of fractures, thoracic hyperplasia, osteoporosis and FRAX@ predicted 10-year osteoporosis of patients in 25-OH-VD < 20 ng/ml group were significantly higher than those of 25-OH-VD ≥ 20 ng/ml group, but the rate of thoracic degeneration was significantly lower than that of 25-OH-VD ≥ 20 ng/ml group, with significant differences (all P < 0.05). The number of typical symptoms of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) of patients in 25-OH-VD < 20 ng/ml group was significantly higher than that of 25-OH-VD ≥ 20 ng/ml group, with significant difference (χ2 = 9.89, P = 0.007). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that patient gender (OR = 3.13, 95%CI: 1.17-8.37, P = 0.023), number of typical symptoms of COVID-19 (4-9: OR = 1.72, 95%CI: 1.01-2.96, P = 0.049; ≥ 10: OR = 5.90, 95%CI: 2.98-11.69, P < 0.001), ALP (OR = 1.02, 95%CI: 1.01-1.03, P < 0.001), CREA (OR = 0.97, 95%CI: 0.95-0.99,P = 0.041), CD3+ T% (OR = 0.96, 95%CI: 0.93-0.99, P = 0.044) and 25-OH-VD (OR = 0.96, 95%CI: 0.93-0.99,P = 0.048) were all independent influencing factors for osteoporosis.
Conclusions After SARS-CoV-2 infection, middle-aged and elderly people with vitamin D deficiency are more likely to develop osteoporosis. Attention should be paid to middle-aged and elderly women, nutritional status, immune indicators and 25-OH-VD in the prevention and control of osteoporosis.