# Efficiency of the Vitamin D Status Diagnosticator amongst Geriatric Patients with COVID-19

## TL;DR

A 16-item questionnaire called VDSD can effectively detect vitamin D deficiency in elderly patients with COVID-19, helping decide if blood tests or supplements are needed.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates the VDSD's effectiveness in identifying vitamin D deficiency in geriatric patients with COVID-19.

## Key findings

- 85.3% of participants had vitamin D insufficiency and 61.8% had vitamin D deficiency.
- The VDSD accurately identified vitamin D deficiency with an AUC of 0.81 and OR of 40.
- The tool's accuracy was lower for identifying vitamin D insufficiency (AUC = 0.57).

## Abstract

The vitamin D status diagnosticator (VDSD), a 16-item tool, effectively identifies hypovitaminosis D in healthy older adults and can assist in determining the need for blood tests in this population. Assessing vitamin D levels is particularly crucial in the context of COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate the VDSD’s effectiveness in pinpointing hypovitaminosis D in older adults affected by COVID-19. The research involved 102 unsupplemented geriatric inpatients consecutively admitted to the acute geriatric division of Angers University Hospital, France, with an average age of 85.0 ± 5.9 years (47.1% women). The physician-administered VDSD was conducted simultaneously with the measurement of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D). Hypovitaminosis D was defined as a serum 25(OH)D concentration of ≤75 nmol/L for vitamin D insufficiency and ≤50 nmol/L for vitamin D deficiency. Results revealed that 87 participants (85.3%) had vitamin D insufficiency and 63 (61.8%) had vitamin D deficiency. The VDSD accurately identified vitamin D deficiency with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.81 and an odds ratio (OR) of 40. However, its accuracy in identifying vitamin D insufficiency was lower (AUC = 0.57). In conclusion, the 16-item VDSD, a concise questionnaire, effectively identifies vitamin D deficiency in geriatric patients with COVID-19. This tool can be valuable in guiding the decision to administer vitamin D supplementation during the early stages of COVID-19.