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Das S, Khan R, Banerjee S, Ray S, Ray S. Alterations in Circadian Rhythms, Sleep, and Physical Activity in COVID-19: Mechanisms, Interventions, and Lessons for the Future. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-04178-5. [PMID: 38702566 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04178-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Although the world is acquitting from the throes of COVID-19 and returning to the regularity of life, its effects on physical and mental health are prominently evident in the post-pandemic era. The pandemic subjected us to inadequate sleep and physical activities, stress, irregular eating patterns, and work hours beyond the regular rest-activity cycle. Thus, perturbing the synchrony of the regular circadian clock functions led to chronic psychiatric and neurological disorders and poor immunological response in several COVID-19 survivors. Understanding the links between the host immune system and viral replication machinery from a clock-infection biology perspective promises novel avenues of intervention. Behavioral improvements in our daily lifestyle can reduce the severity and expedite the convalescent stage of COVID-19 by maintaining consistent eating, sleep, and physical activity schedules. Including dietary supplements and nutraceuticals with prophylactic value aids in combating COVID-19, as their deficiency can lead to a higher risk of infection, vulnerability, and severity of COVID-19. Thus, besides developing therapeutic measures, perpetual healthy practices could also contribute to combating the upcoming pandemics. This review highlights the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on biological rhythms, sleep-wake cycles, physical activities, and eating patterns and how those disruptions possibly contribute to the response, severity, and outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandip Das
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy, 502284, Telangana, India
| | - Rajni Khan
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) - Hajipur, Vaishali, Hajipur, 844102, Bihar, India
| | - Srishti Banerjee
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy, 502284, Telangana, India
| | - Shashikant Ray
- Department of Biotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi Central University, Motihari, 845401, India.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | - Sandipan Ray
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Sangareddy, 502284, Telangana, India.
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2
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Camelo ALM, Zamora Obando HR, Rocha I, Dias AC, Mesquita ADS, Simionato AVC. COVID-19 and Comorbidities: What Has Been Unveiled by Metabolomics? Metabolites 2024; 14:195. [PMID: 38668323 PMCID: PMC11051775 DOI: 10.3390/metabo14040195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about diverse impacts on the global population. Individuals with comorbidities were more susceptible to the severe symptoms caused by the virus. Within the crisis scenario, metabolomics represents a potential area of science capable of providing relevant information for understanding the metabolic pathways associated with the intricate interaction between the viral disease and previous comorbidities. This work aims to provide a comprehensive description of the scientific production pertaining to metabolomics within the specific context of COVID-19 and comorbidities, while highlighting promising areas for exploration by those interested in the subject. In this review, we highlighted the studies of metabolomics that indicated a variety of metabolites associated with comorbidities and COVID-19. Furthermore, we observed that the understanding of the metabolic processes involved between comorbidities and COVID-19 is limited due to the urgent need to report disease outcomes in individuals with comorbidities. The overlap of two or more comorbidities associated with the severity of COVID-19 hinders the comprehension of the significance of each condition. Most identified studies are observational, with a restricted number of patients, due to challenges in sample collection amidst the emergent situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Luiz Melo Camelo
- Laboratory of Analysis of Biomolecules Tiselius, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-970, São Paulo, Brazil; (A.L.M.C.); (H.R.Z.O.); (I.R.); (A.C.D.); (A.d.S.M.)
| | - Hans Rolando Zamora Obando
- Laboratory of Analysis of Biomolecules Tiselius, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-970, São Paulo, Brazil; (A.L.M.C.); (H.R.Z.O.); (I.R.); (A.C.D.); (A.d.S.M.)
| | - Isabela Rocha
- Laboratory of Analysis of Biomolecules Tiselius, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-970, São Paulo, Brazil; (A.L.M.C.); (H.R.Z.O.); (I.R.); (A.C.D.); (A.d.S.M.)
| | - Aline Cristina Dias
- Laboratory of Analysis of Biomolecules Tiselius, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-970, São Paulo, Brazil; (A.L.M.C.); (H.R.Z.O.); (I.R.); (A.C.D.); (A.d.S.M.)
| | - Alessandra de Sousa Mesquita
- Laboratory of Analysis of Biomolecules Tiselius, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-970, São Paulo, Brazil; (A.L.M.C.); (H.R.Z.O.); (I.R.); (A.C.D.); (A.d.S.M.)
| | - Ana Valéria Colnaghi Simionato
- Laboratory of Analysis of Biomolecules Tiselius, Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-970, São Paulo, Brazil; (A.L.M.C.); (H.R.Z.O.); (I.R.); (A.C.D.); (A.d.S.M.)
- National Institute of Science and Technology for Bioanalytics—INCTBio, Institute of Chemistry, Universidade Estadual de (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-970, São Paulo, Brazil
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3
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He T, Liu X, Lv R, Cheng G. Risk of bias in epidemiological studies regarding nutrition interventions for COVID-19. J Evid Based Med 2023; 16:417-419. [PMID: 37865965 DOI: 10.1111/jebm.12541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tianyi He
- West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University
| | - Xueting Liu
- West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital and Healthy Food Evaluation Research Center, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ruiqi Lv
- Laboratory of Molecular Translational Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Department of Pediatrics, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Guo Cheng
- Laboratory of Molecular Translational Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children, Department of Pediatrics, Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Nawaiseh HK, Abdelrahim DN, Al-Domi H, Al-Assaf MS, Al-Nawaiseh FK. The impact of vitamin D, vitamin C, and zinc supplements on immune status among Jordanian adults during COVID-19: cross-sectional study findings. BMC Public Health 2023; 23:2251. [PMID: 37968651 PMCID: PMC10652433 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-023-17172-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Nutritional status is essential for the maintenance of the immune system, with malnutrition suppressing immunity. The aims of the current study were to assess the immune status of a group of Jordanian adults and to evaluate the association between vitamin C, vitamin D, and zinc consumption and the Immune Status during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS A total of 615 adults Jordanian participants were enrolled in this study, an online- based cross sectional survey was used as a tool for this study. Data was collected by distributing the questionnaire form link through social media platforms. The association between ISQ score and the supplement intake pattern (daily, weekly, monthly and rarely) was assessed using multinomial logistic regression analysis, described as Odds ratio and 95% CI. RESULTS Data have indicated that the majority of the participants did not take Vitamin D supplements during the pandemic (46.3%). Also, there was a significant association between the frequency of Vitamin D supplement intake and ISQ (r = 12.777; P < 0.05). Data showed that the majority of participants used vitamin C supplementation (49.4%). Also, there was a significant association between the frequency of Vitamin C supplement intake and ISQ (r = 12.797; P < 0.05). Data also have indicated that the majority of the participants did not increase their consumption of Zinc during the COVID-19 pandemic (55.6%). CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study suggest a significant association between the frequency of Vitamin D, and vitamin C supplement intake and ISQ. Nutritional status is essential for the maintenance of the immune system, with malnutrition suppressing immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hala K Nawaiseh
- Department of nutrition and food technology, Faculty of Agriculture, The University of Jordan, 11942, Amman, Jordan.
| | - Dana N Abdelrahim
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, Sharjah University, 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Hayder Al-Domi
- Department of nutrition and food technology, Faculty of Agriculture, The University of Jordan, 11942, Amman, Jordan
| | - Mohammad S Al-Assaf
- Department of Ears, Nose and Throat, King Hussein Medical Centre (KHMC), Amman, Jordan
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Gholamalizadeh M, Attari M, Mousavi M, Shekari S, Salimi Z, Rajabi Harsini A, Zeinolabedin M, Barzkar A, Mahmoudi Z, Alami F, Dahka SM, Gholami S, Rahvar M, Pourtaleb M, Khoshdooz S, Kalantari N, Doaei S. The association between obesity with treatment duration, ICU length of stay and the risk of death in critically ill patients with COVID-19. Endocrinol Diabetes Metab 2023; 6:e458. [PMID: 37899666 PMCID: PMC10638616 DOI: 10.1002/edm2.458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the confirmed association between higher BMI with increased risk of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the association between obesity with mortality in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is not clear. The present study aimed to investigate the association between obesity with treatment duration, ICU length of stay, and the risk of death in critically ill patients with COVID-19. METHODS This case-control study was performed on 223 patients with COVID-19 including 148 surviving patients as the control group and 75 eventually dead patients as the case group in Rasht, Iran. Data on demographic factors, comorbidities, anthropometric measurements, the length of hospitalization and the mortality were obtained from patients' medical records. RESULTS The mortality rate was significantly associated with weight (OR = 1.04, 95% CI: 1.002-1.083, p = .04), but not with BMI after adjustments for age, gender, length of stay in ICU, chronic diseases and smoking. The results did not change after further adjustments for biochemical and pathological factors. CONCLUSIONS Weight was positively associated with mortality after controlling for confounding variables. Further studies should consider the patient's body composition such as fat mass to establish the relationship between obesity and COVID-19 outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Gholamalizadeh
- Student Research Committee, Cancer Research CenterShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Mohammad Attari
- Loghman Hakim HospitalShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Mahdi Mousavi
- Student Research CenterTabriz University of Medical SciencesTabrizIran
| | - Soheila Shekari
- Department of Nutrition, Science and Research BranchIslamic Azad UniversityTehranIran
| | - Zahra Salimi
- Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases Research CenterAhvaz Jundishapur University of Medical SciencesAhvazIran
| | - Asma Rajabi Harsini
- Department of Clinical NutritionSchool of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS)TehranIran
| | - Mobina Zeinolabedin
- Department of Community NutritionSchool of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS)TehranIran
| | | | - Zahra Mahmoudi
- Department of Nutrition, Science and Research BranchIslamic Azad UniversityTehranIran
| | - Farkhondeh Alami
- Student Research Committee, Department of Nutrition, Faculty of MedicineUrmia University of Medical SciencesUrmiaIran
| | | | - Somayeh Gholami
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU)Razi Hospital, Guilan University of Medical SciencesRashtIran
| | - Masoume Rahvar
- School of HealthGuilan University of Medical SciencesRashtIran
| | | | - Sara Khoshdooz
- Faculty of MedicineGuilan University of Medical ScienceRashtIran
| | - Naser Kalantari
- Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research InstituteShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
| | - Saeid Doaei
- Department of Community Nutrition, Faculty of Nutrition and Food Technology, National Nutrition and Food Technology Research InstituteShahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesTehranIran
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Kumar S, Ansari S, Narayanan S, Ranjith-Kumar CT, Surjit M. Antiviral activity of zinc against hepatitis viruses: current status and future prospects. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1218654. [PMID: 37908540 PMCID: PMC10613677 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1218654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral hepatitis is a major public health concern globally. World health organization aims at eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. Among the hepatitis causing viruses, hepatitis B and C are primarily transmitted via contaminated blood. Hepatitis A and E, which gets transmitted primarily via the feco-oral route, are the leading cause of acute viral hepatitis. Although vaccines are available against some of these viruses, new cases continue to be reported. There is an urgent need to devise a potent yet economical antiviral strategy against the hepatitis-causing viruses (denoted as hepatitis viruses) for achieving global elimination of viral hepatitis. Although zinc was known to mankind for a long time (since before Christ era), it was identified as an element in 1746 and its importance for human health was discovered in 1963 by the pioneering work of Dr. Ananda S. Prasad. A series of follow up studies involving zinc supplementation as a therapy demonstrated zinc as an essential element for humans, leading to establishment of a recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of 15 milligram zinc [United States RDA for zinc]. Being an essential component of many cellular enzymes and transcription factors, zinc is vital for growth and homeostasis of most living organisms, including human. Importantly, several studies indicate potent antiviral activity of zinc. Multiple studies have demonstrated antiviral activity of zinc against viruses that cause hepatitis. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the findings on antiviral activity of zinc against hepatitis viruses, discusses the mechanisms underlying the antiviral properties of zinc and summarizes the prospects of harnessing the therapeutic benefit of zinc supplementation therapy in reducing the disease burden due to viral hepatitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiv Kumar
- Virology Laboratory, Centre for Virus Research, Therapeutics and Vaccines, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Shabnam Ansari
- Virology Laboratory, Centre for Virus Research, Therapeutics and Vaccines, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Sriram Narayanan
- University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India
| | - C. T. Ranjith-Kumar
- University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India
| | - Milan Surjit
- Virology Laboratory, Centre for Virus Research, Therapeutics and Vaccines, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, Haryana, India
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7
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Romani A, Sergi D, Zauli E, Voltan R, Lodi G, Vaccarezza M, Caruso L, Previati M, Zauli G. Nutrients, herbal bioactive derivatives and commensal microbiota as tools to lower the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Front Nutr 2023; 10:1152254. [PMID: 37324739 PMCID: PMC10267353 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2023.1152254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has infected a vast population across the world, causing more than 664 million cases and 6.7 million deaths by January 2023. Vaccination has been effective in reducing the most critical aftermath of this infection, but some issues are still present regarding re-infection prevention, effectiveness against variants, vaccine hesitancy and worldwide accessibility. Moreover, although several old and new antiviral drugs have been tested, we still lack robust and specific treatment modalities. It appears of utmost importance, facing this continuously growing pandemic, to focus on alternative practices grounded on firm scientific bases. In this article, we aim to outline a rigorous scientific background and propose complementary nutritional tools useful toward containment, and ultimately control, of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In particular, we review the mechanisms of viral entry and discuss the role of polyunsaturated fatty acids derived from α-linolenic acid and other nutrients in preventing the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with its entry gateways. In a similar way, we analyze in detail the role of herbal-derived pharmacological compounds and specific microbial strains or microbial-derived polypeptides in the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 entry. In addition, we highlight the role of probiotics, nutrients and herbal-derived compounds in stimulating the immunity response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arianna Romani
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Domenico Sergi
- Department of Translational Medicine and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Enrico Zauli
- Department of Translational Medicine and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Rebecca Voltan
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giada Lodi
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Mauro Vaccarezza
- Curtin Medical School & Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute (CHIRI), Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Lorenzo Caruso
- Department of Environmental and Prevention Sciences and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Maurizio Previati
- Department of Translational Medicine and LTTA Centre, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Giorgio Zauli
- Research Department, King Khaled Eye Specialistic Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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8
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Rheingold SZ, Raval C, Gordon AM, Hardigan P. Zinc Supplementation Associated With a Decrease in Mortality in COVID-19 Patients: A Meta-Analysis. Cureus 2023; 15:e40231. [PMID: 37435275 PMCID: PMC10332820 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.40231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the world, resulting in millions of deaths worldwide and imposing economic, political, and social problems. The use of nutritional supplementation for the prevention and mitigation of COVID-19 remains controversial. This meta-analysis aims to investigate the association between zinc supplementation, mortality, and symptomatology, among COVID-19-infected patients. A meta-analysis was conducted to compare the outcomes of mortality and symptomology of patients with COVID-19 receiving zinc supplementation and those not receiving zinc supplementation. PubMed/Medline, Cochrane, Web of Science, and CINAHL Complete were independently searched with the search terms "zinc" AND "covid" OR "sars-cov-2" "COVID-19" OR "coronavirus". After duplicates were removed, 1215 articles were identified. Five of these studies were used to assess mortality outcomes, and two were used to assess symptomatology outcomes. The meta-analysis was conducted through R 4.2.1 software (R Foundation, Vienna, Austria). Heterogeneity was evaluated by calculating the I2 index. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were used. It was found that COVID-19-infected individuals treated with zinc supplements had a reduced risk of mortality compared with individuals not treated with a zinc supplement RR=0.63 (95%CI;0.52,0.77), p=0.005. For symptomology, it was found that COVID-19-infected individuals treated with zinc had no difference in symptomology than individuals not treated with a zinc supplement RR=0.52 (95%CI;0.00,24315.42), p=0.578. This data indicates that zinc supplementation is associated with decreased mortality in those with COVID-19 but does not change symptomatology. This is promising as zinc is widely available and may be valuable as a cost-effective way to prevent poor outcomes for those with COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chirag Raval
- Research, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Davie, USA
| | | | - Patrick Hardigan
- Research, Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Davie, USA
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Association of Serum Zinc and Inflammatory Markers with the Severity of COVID-19 Infection in Adult Patients. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15020340. [PMID: 36678211 PMCID: PMC9861200 DOI: 10.3390/nu15020340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 infection can spread in the host body without any adequate immune response. Zinc is an essential trace element with strong immunoregulatory and antiviral properties and its deficiency might lead to inflammation and oxidative stress. The aim of the current study was to determine the association of serum zinc and inflammatory markers with the severity of COVID-19 infection. This was a prospective observational study in which 123 COVID-19-positive adult patients and 48 controls were recruited. The initial comparative analysis was conducted between COVID-19 patients and controls. COVID-19-positive patients were further divided into three different groups (mild, moderate, and severe) based on the severity of COVID-19 infection. COVID-19 patients showed significantly lower serum zinc levels (8.8 ± 2.3 µmol/L) compared to healthy controls (11.9 ± 1.8 µmol/L). There was a negative correlation between serum zinc levels and the severity of COVID-19 infection (r = −0.584, p < 0.0001) and this effect was independent of age (r = −0.361, p < 0.0001). Furthermore, inflammatory markers showed a positive correlation with the severity of COVID-19 infection and a negative correlation with the levels of serum zinc. The study demonstrated an association between COVID-19 infection with low serum zinc levels and elevated inflammatory markers. Further studies to assess the significance of this observation are needed, which may justify zinc supplementation to mitigate the severity of COVID-19 infection.
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The Mechanisms of Zinc Action as a Potent Anti-Viral Agent: The Clinical Therapeutic Implication in COVID-19. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11101862. [PMID: 36290585 PMCID: PMC9598180 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11101862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The pandemic of COVID-19 was caused by a novel coronavirus termed as SARS-CoV2 and is still ongoing with high morbidity and mortality rates in the whole world. The pathogenesis of COVID-19 is highly linked with over-active immune and inflammatory responses, leading to activated cytokine storm, which contribute to ARDS with worsen outcome. Currently, there is no effective therapeutic drug for the treatment of COVID-19. Zinc is known to act as an immune modulator, which plays an important role in immune defense system. Recently, zinc has been widely considered as an anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant agent. Accumulating numbers of studies have revealed that zinc plays an important role in antiviral immunity in several viral infections. Several early clinical trials clearly indicate that zinc treatment remarkably decreased the severity of the upper respiratory infection of rhinovirus in humans. Currently, zinc has been used for the therapeutic intervention of COVID-19 in many different clinical trials. Several clinical studies reveal that zinc treatment using a combination of HCQ and zinc pronouncedly reduced symptom score and the rates of hospital admission and mortality in COVID-19 patients. These data support that zinc might act as an anti-viral agent in the addition to its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties for the adjuvant therapeutic intervention of COVID-19.
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11
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Wang F, Zhong J, Zhang R, Sun Y, Dong Y, Wang M, Sun C. Zinc and COVID-19: Immunity, Susceptibility, Severity and Intervention. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2022; 64:1969-1987. [PMID: 36094452 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2119932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and continuing emergence of viral mutants, there has been a lack of effective treatment methods. Zinc maintains immune function, with direct and indirect antiviral activities. Zinc nutritional status is a critical factor in antiviral immune responses. Importantly, COVID-19 and zinc deficiency overlap in high-risk population. Hence, the potential effect of zinc as a preventive and adjunct therapy for COVID-19 is intriguing. Here, this review summarizes the immune and antiviral function of zinc, the relationship between zinc levels, susceptibility, and severity of COVID-19, and the effect of zinc supplementation on COVID-19. Existing studies have confirmed that zinc deficiency was associated with COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. Zinc supplementation plays a potentially protective role in enhancing immunity, decreasing susceptibility, shortening illness duration, and reducing the severity of COVID-19. We recommend that zinc levels should be monitored, particularly in COVID-19 patients, and zinc as a preventive and adjunct therapy for COVID-19 should be considered for groups at risk of zinc deficiency to reduce susceptibility and disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Wang
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Jiayi Zhong
- National Key Disciplines of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- National Key Disciplines of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yongzhi Sun
- National Key Disciplines of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yingran Dong
- National Key Disciplines of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Maoqing Wang
- National Key Disciplines of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Changhao Sun
- National Key Disciplines of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
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12
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Elements and COVID-19: A Comprehensive Overview of Studies on Their Blood/Urinary Levels and Supplementation with an Update on Clinical Trials. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11020215. [PMID: 35205082 PMCID: PMC8869171 DOI: 10.3390/biology11020215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary COVID-19 is a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus spreading mainly through person-to-person contact. It has caused millions of deaths around the world and lasting health problems in individuals who have survived the disease. This review concisely summarizes certain issues related to COVID-19 with a focus on elements and gives an update on clinical trials where some minerals will be tested/have been tested alone or in combination with drugs, vitamins, or plant extracts/herbal formulations in COVID-19 patients and in those at higher COVID-19 risk. Abstract The current report provides a brief overview of the clinical features, hematological/biochemical abnormalities, biomarkers, and AI-related strategies in COVID-19; presents in a nutshell the pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapeutic options; and concisely summarizes the most important aspects related to sociodemographic and behavioral factors as well as comorbidities having an impact on this disease. It also gives a brief outline of the effect of selected elements on immune response and collects data on the levels of micro-/macro-elements and toxic metals in the blood/urine of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients and on supplementation with minerals in COVID-19 subjects. Moreover, this review provides an overview of clinical trials based on the use of minerals alone or in combination with other agents that can provide effective responses toward SARS-CoV-2 infection. The knowledge compiled in this report lays the groundwork for new therapeutic treatments and further research on biomarkers that should be as informative as possible about the patient’s condition and can provide more reliable information on COVID-19 course and prognosis. The collected results point to the need for clarification of the importance of mineral supplementation in COVID-19 and the relationships of the levels of some minerals with clinical improvement.
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