“…Secondary outcomes were the duration of individual symptoms, need for assisted ventilation, duration of hospital stay (among inpatients), all-cause mortality, and blood biomarker concentrations. Blood biomarkers were measured both at baseline and endline (8 wk) and included nutritional measures (serum 25(OH)D and calcium, and zinc in whole blood) and immunological and inflammatory markers [serum ferritin, CRP, lactate dehydrogenase and plasma D-dimer (a protein product of fibrin degradation, that has been linked to inflammation and indicated as a biomarker of severity for COVID-19 in previous research)] [ 43 ], IL-6, angiopoietin-2, soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1), IgG and IgM]. Sample analysis was undertaken at nationally accredited laboratories (nutritional biomarkers all measured in a single laboratory using validated methods, ferritin, CRP, D-dimer, and lactate dehydrogenase) or at the Foundation for Medical Research (IL-6, angiopoietin-2, sTREM-1, IgG, and IgM).…”