The correlation between serum selenium, zinc, and COVID-19 severity: an observational study

BMC Infectious Diseases

Zeinab Ghorbani¹  Azita Hekmatdoost²  Soodeh Razeghi Jahromi²  Shadi Ariyanfar³  Mahnaz Montazeri⁴  Hedieh Moradi Tabriz⁵  Mohammad Talebpour⁶  Mehdi Ebrahimi⁷  Aboozar Jazayeri⁸  Elham Jafari⁸  Mansoureh Togha⁹  Samaneh Haghighi⁹  Sima Naeeni^1,10  Haleh Ashraf^1,11 

[1] Cardiovascular Diseases Research Center, Department of Cardiology, Heshmat Hospital, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran;Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran;Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Headache Department, Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Department of Infectious Diseases, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Department of Pathology, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Department of Surgery, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Endocrinology Department, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Headache Department, Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Headache Department, Iranian Center of Neurological Research, Neuroscience Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Neurology ward, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Neurology ward, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Research Development Center, Sina Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;Cardiac Primary Prevention Research Center (CPPRC), Cardiovascular Diseases Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran;

关键词: COVID-19;    Zinc;    Selenium;    Nutritional status;    Immunity;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12879-021-06617-3

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundWithout an adequate immune response, SARS-CoV2 virus can simply spread throughout the body of the host. Two of the well-known immunonutrients are selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn). Se and Zn deficiency might lead to inflammation, oxidative stress, and viral entry into the cells by decreasing ACE-2 expression; three factors that are proposed to be involved in COVID-19 pathogenesis. Thus, in the current study we aimed at evaluating the correlation between serum Se and Zn status and COVID-19 severity.MethodsEighty-four COVID-19 patients were enrolled in this observational study. Patients were diagnosed based on an infectious disease specialist diagnosis, using WHO interim guidance and the recommendations of the Iranian National Committee of Covid-19. The patients with acute respiratory tract infection symptoms were checked for compatibility of chest computed tomography (CT) scan results with that of Covid-19 and Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for corona virus infection. The severity of Covid-19 was categorized into three groups (mild, moderate, and severe) using CDC criteria. Serum Zn and Se level of all subjects was measured. The severity of the disease was determined only once at the onset of disease.ResultsAccording to the results of linear regression test, there was a significant association between Zn and Se level and COVID-19 severity (β = − 0.28, P-value = 0.01 for Se; β = − 0.26, P-value = 0.02). However the significance disappeared after adjusting for confounding factors. Spearman correlation analysis showed a significant negative association between serum Zn, Se and CRP level (r = − 0.35, P-value = 0.001 for Se; r = − 0.41, P-value < 0.001 for Zn).ConclusionResults suggest that increasing levels of Se and Zn were accompanied by a decrease in serum CRP level. However, the significant association between Se, Zn, and disease severity was lost after adjusting for confounding factors.

【 授权许可】

CC BY