Background Pathology during COVID-19 infection arises partly from an excessive inflammatory response with a key role for interleukin (IL)-6. Both vitamin D and K have been proposed as potential modulators of this process. Methods We assessed vitamin D and K status by measuring circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and desphospho-uncarboxylated Matrix Gla-Protein (dp-ucMGP), respectively in 135 hospitalized COVID-19 patients in relation to inflammatory response, elastic fiber degradation and clinical outcomes. Results Comparing good and poor disease outcomes of COVID-19 patients, vitamin 25(OH)D levels were not significantly different. IL-6 levels, however, were significantly higher in patients with poor outcome, compared to patients with good outcome (30.3 vs. 153.0 pg/mL; p < 0.0001). Dp-ucMGP levels as biomarker of extrahepatic vitamin K status was associated with IL-6 levels (r = 0.35; p < 0.0001). In contrast, 25(OH)D levels were only borderline statistically significant correlated with IL-6 (r = −0.14; p <0.050). A significant association was also found between IL-6 and elastic fiber degradation. Contrary to vitamin K status, 25(OH)D did not correlate with elastic fiber degradation. Conclusions Dp-ucMGP associates with IL-6 as a central component of the destructive inflammatory processes in COVID-19. An intervention trial may provide insight whether vitamin K administration, either or not in combination with vitamin D, improves clinical outcome of COVID-19.
【저자키워드】 COVID-19, Vitamin D, IL-6, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, vitamin K, desmosine, dp-ucMGP, 【초록키워드】 Biomarker, Trial, Intervention, outcome, clinical outcomes, Clinical outcome, excessive inflammatory response, COVID-19 infection, Patient, Degradation, disease, COVID-19 patients, association, hospitalized COVID-19 patient, Combination, Inflammatory response, administration, Inflammatory, IL-6 levels, matrix, circulating, fiber, IMPROVE, Result, correlated, significantly higher, statistically significant, arise, IL-6 level, not significantly different, 【제목키워드】 Effect,