학술논문
Impact of low serum calcium at hospital admission on SARS-CoV-2 infection outcome
Document Type
article
Author
Berta Torres; Pau Alcubilla; Ana González-Cordón; Alexy Inciarte; Mariana Chumbita; Celia Cardozo; Fernanda Meira; Marga Giménez; Ana de Hollanda; Alex Soriano; Laia Albiach; Daiana Agüero; Juan Ambrosioni; Marta Bodro; Jose Luis Blanco; Lorena De la Mora; Felipe García-Alcaide; Nicole García-Pouton; Carolina Garcia-Vidal; Marta Hernández-Meneses; Montserrat Laguno; Lorna Leal; Laura Linares; Irene Macaya; Josep Mallolas; Esteban Martínez; María Martínez-Rebollar; José María Miró; José Mensa; Asunción Moreno; Antonio Moreno; Estela Moreno-García; Laura Morata; José Antonio Martínez; Pedro Puerta-Alcalde; Verónica Rico; John Rojas; Montserrat Solá; Manuel Torres
Source
International Journal of Infectious Diseases, Vol 104, Iss , Pp 164-168 (2021)
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
1201-9712
Abstract
Background: Calcium is an essential ion for pathogen survival and virulence and is involved in the regulation of the inflammatory response. Hypocalcemia is a common laboratory finding in critically ill patients. Data regarding levels of calcium in SARS-CoV-2 infection is scarce. Patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection who present with hypocalcemia could have a worse outcome. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and included all patients who had any serum calcium measurement in the first 72 h since hospital admission. The main objective was to investigate the relation of low serum calcium with adverse outcome, measured by the requirement of high oxygen support – defined as high flow nasal cannula oxygen, non-invasive mechanical ventilation and/or invasive ventilation – intensive care unit admission or death. Results: A total of 316 patients were included in the study. Median age was 65 years (IQR 55–74); 65% were men. Hypocalcemia within 72 h since hospital admission was present in 63% of patients. A higher number of patients in the hypocalcemia group required high oxygen support during hospitalization (49% vs 32%; p = 0,01) and were admitted to the ICU (42% vs 26%; p = 0,005). No differences in mortality were observed between groups. Conclusions: Hypocalcemia is frequent in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and can identify patients who will have a worse outcome. More studies are needed to understand the role of calcium metabolism in SARS-CoV-2 infection and to address the clinical implications and therapeutic interventions it might have.