Course and Survival of COVID-19 Patients with Comorbidities in Relation to the Trace Element Status at Hospital Admission

Laing, Gijs Du; Petrovic, Mirko; Lachat, Carl; Boevre, Marthe De; Klingenberg, Georg Jochen; Sun, Qian; Saeger, Sarah De; Clercq, Jozefien De; Ide, Louis; Vandekerckhove, Linos; Schomburg, Lutz

doi:10.3390/nu13103304

Cited by 32 publications

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References 56 publications

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“…While infection is diagnosed by the detection of the virus by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or viral proteins by immunological methods in specimens obtained from the upper respiratory tract, further assessment of disease severity is performed using a number of laboratory markers [ 2 ]. Risk factors for severe infection with SARS-CoV-2 include age, male sex, certain comorbidities [ 3 , 4 ], and suboptimal micronutrient status [ 5 , 6 ]. Essential trace elements selenium, copper, and zinc, which are required for proper immune function, were widely discussed to impact susceptibility to COVID-19 and disease course [ 5 , 7 , 8 , 9 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Causes of zinc deficiency are either insufficient zinc intake, or impaired intestinal absorption due to low bioavailability or zinc malabsorption diseases [ 4 ]. Accordingly, the risk of zinc deficiency is mainly determined by age, physiological status, or pathologic conditions [ 5 , 6 ]. Zinc supplementation can reverse symptoms of zinc malnutrition, and was discussed to decrease susceptibility to COVID-19 and improve convalescence [ 9 , 19 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Free Zinc as a Predictive Marker for COVID-19 Mortality Risk

et al. 2022

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Free zinc is considered to be the exchangeable and biological active form of zinc in serum, and is discussed to be a suitable biomarker for alterations in body zinc homeostasis and related diseases. Given that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is characterized by a marked decrease in total serum zinc, and clinical data indicate that zinc status impacts the susceptibility and severity of the infection, we hypothesized that free zinc in serum might be altered in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and may reflect disease severity. To test this hypothesis, free zinc concentrations in serum samples of survivors and nonsurvivors of COVID-19 were analyzed by fluorometric microassay. Similar to the reported total serum zinc deficit measured by total reflection X-ray fluorescence, free serum zinc in COVID-19 patients was considerably lower than that in control subjects, and surviving patients displayed significantly higher levels of free zinc than those of nonsurvivors (mean ± SD; 0.4 ± 0.2 nM vs. 0.2 ± 0.1 nM; p = 0.0004). In contrast to recovering total zinc concentrations (r = 0.706, p < 0.001) or the declining copper–zinc ratio (r = −0.646; p < 0.001), free zinc concentrations remained unaltered with time in COVID-19 nonsurvivors. Free serum zinc concentrations were particularly low in male as compared to female patients (mean ± SD; 0.4 ± 0.2 nM vs. 0.2 ± 0.1 nM; p = 0.0003). This is of particular interest, as the male sex is described as a risk factor for severe COVID-19. Overall, results indicate that depressed free serum zinc levels are associated with increased risk of death in COVID-19, suggesting that free zinc may serve as a novel prognostic marker for the severity and course of COVID-19.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Free Zinc as a Predictive Marker for COVID-19 Mortality Risk

et al. 2022

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“…Besides other essential micronutrients like zinc, copper or vitamin D, the central role of an adequate Se status is vividly discussed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Individual level [ 26 , 27 ], cumulative population level [ 28 ] as well as geographical data [ 29 ] have shown an inverse association of Se status and infection risk or outcome of COVID-19.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Humoral immune response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in relation to selenium status

et al. 2022

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The essential trace element selenium (Se) is of central importance for human health and particularly for a regular functioning of the immune system. In the context of the current pandemic, Se deficiency in patients with COVID-19 correlated with disease severity and mortality risk. Selenium has been reported to be associated with the immune response following vaccination, but it is unknown whether this also applies to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. In this observational study, adult health care workers (n = 126) who received two consecutive anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations by BNT162b2 were followed for up to 24 weeks, with blood samples collected at the first and second dose and at three and 21 weeks after the second dose. Serum SARS-CoV-2 IgG titres, neutralising antibody potency, total Se and selenoprotein P concentrations, and glutathione peroxidase 3 activity were quantified. All three biomarkers of Se status were significantly correlated at all the time points, and participants who reported supplemental Se intake displayed higher Se concentrations. SARS-CoV-2 IgG titres and neutralising potency were highest three weeks after the second dose and decreased towards the last sampling point. The humoral immune response was not related to any of the three Se status biomarkers. Supplemental Se intake had no effect at any time point on the vaccination response as measured by serum SARS-CoV-2 IgG levels or neutralising potency. Overall, no association was found between Se status or supplemental Se intake and humoral immune response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccination.

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“…Although a blood zinc level does not necessarily reflect the zinc status of an individual, zinc serum (or plasma) concentrations can be used as an indicator for the populational zinc status [ 133 ]. Table 1 summarizes serum zinc concentrations of COVID-19 patients reported by 15 studies [ 134 , 135 , 136 , 137 , 138 , 139 , 140 , 141 , 142 , 143 , 144 , 145 , 146 , 147 , 148 ], together with comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, respiratory disease, and cardiovascular disease that potentially induce zinc deficiency. Serum zinc concentrations ranged from 73 μg/dL to 106 μg/dL in controls or healthy subjects [ 135 , 136 , 141 , 145 , 146 , 148 ], whereas they ranged from 57 μg/dL to 80 μg/dL in COVID-19 patients [ 135 , 136 , 139 , 140 , 141 , 142 , 143 , 145 , 146 , 147 , 148 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Table 1 summarizes serum zinc concentrations of COVID-19 patients reported by 15 studies [ 134 , 135 , 136 , 137 , 138 , 139 , 140 , 141 , 142 , 143 , 144 , 145 , 146 , 147 , 148 ], together with comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, respiratory disease, and cardiovascular disease that potentially induce zinc deficiency. Serum zinc concentrations ranged from 73 μg/dL to 106 μg/dL in controls or healthy subjects [ 135 , 136 , 141 , 145 , 146 , 148 ], whereas they ranged from 57 μg/dL to 80 μg/dL in COVID-19 patients [ 135 , 136 , 139 , 140 , 141 , 142 , 143 , 145 , 146 , 147 , 148 ]. The ratio of serum zinc deficiency was 57.4% in Indian COVID-19 patients [ 135 ] and 95.7% in Belgium COVID-19 patients [ 146 ] when the cutoff zinc concentration was defined as <80 μg/dL.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gustatory and Saliva Secretory Dysfunctions in COVID-19 Patients with Zinc Deficiency

Tsuchiya

2022

Life

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Given the ever-progressing studies on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), it is critical to update our knowledge about COVID-19 symptomatology and pathophysiology. In the present narrative review, oral symptoms were overviewed using the latest data and their pathogenesis was hypothetically speculated. PubMed, LitCovid, ProQuest, and Google Scholar were searched for relevant studies from 1 April 2021 with a cutoff date of 31 January 2022. The literature search indicated that gustatory dysfunction and saliva secretory dysfunction are prevalent in COVID-19 patients and both dysfunctions persist after recovery from the disease, suggesting the pathogenic mechanism common to these cooccurring symptoms. COVID-19 patients are characterized by hypozincemia, in which zinc is possibly redistributed from blood to the liver at the expense of zinc in other tissues. If COVID-19 induces intracellular zinc deficiency, the activity of zinc-metalloenzyme carbonic anhydrase localized in taste buds and salivary glands may be influenced to adversely affect gustatory and saliva secretory functions. Zinc-binding metallothioneins and zinc transporters, which cooperatively control cellular zinc homeostasis, are expressed in oral tissues participating in taste and saliva secretion. Their expression dysregulation associated with COVID-19-induced zinc deficiency may have some effect on oral functions. Zinc supplementation is expected to improve oral symptoms in COVID-19 patients.

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Course and Survival of COVID-19 Patients with Comorbidities in Relation to the Trace Element Status at Hospital Admission

Cited by 32 publications

References 56 publications

Free Zinc as a Predictive Marker for COVID-19 Mortality Risk

Free Zinc as a Predictive Marker for COVID-19 Mortality Risk

Humoral immune response to COVID-19 mRNA vaccination in relation to selenium status

Gustatory and Saliva Secretory Dysfunctions in COVID-19 Patients with Zinc Deficiency

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