Spain, convincing therapeutic evidence

Effect of calcifediol treatment and best available therapy versus best available therapy on intensive care unit admission and mortality among patients hospitalized for COVID-19: A pilot randomized clinical study (October 2020)

n = 76, Calcifediol treatment

50 patients treated with calcifediol

One required admission to ICU (2%)

No deaths

26 untreated patients

13 required admission to ICU (50 %)

2 deaths

Calcifediol treatment and COVID-19-related outcomes

(22nd January)

Barna-COVIDIOL

Barcelona

Effect of calcifediol treatment

In admitted patients

On ICU admission

and mortality

N = 930

Randomly assigned

Calcifediol treatment group n = 551

Day one, 532 ug (21,000 iu)

Days, 3, 7, 15, 30, 266 ug (10,640 iu)

No adverse effects reported

Required ICU, 30 (5.4%)

Deaths, 36 (6.5%)

Death RR = 0.36

64% reduced chance of death

Control group n = 379

Required ICU, 80 (21.1%), p less than 0.0001

Deaths, 57 (15%), p = 0.001

Adjusted for

Age

Sex

Comorbidities

Linearized 25(OH)D levels at baseline

Treated patients

Reduced risk to require ICU

RR 0.18

Baseline 25(OH)D levels

Inversely correlated with the risk of ICU

Predictors of reduced mortality

Higher baseline 25(OH)D levels

Predictors on increased mortality

Age

Obesity

Interpretation

In patients hospitalized with COVID-19, calcifediol treatment at the time of hospitalization significantly reduced ICU admission and mortality.

Early calcifediol after admission

Prior to ARDS development, is critical for mortality reduction

Initiation of calcifediol during ICU admission did not modify patient survival