Title:Clinical Outcomes of Zinc Supplementation Among COVID-19 Patients
Volume: 17
Issue: 4
Author(s): Andrew D. Berti, Pramodini B. Kale-Pradhan, Christopher A. Giuliano*, Bianca N. Aprilliano, Christopher R. Miller, Basma T. Alyashae, Ashish Bhargava and Leonard B. Johnson
Affiliation:
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Wayne State University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Detroit, MI,
USA
- Department of Pharmacy, Ascension St. John Hospital, Detroit, MI, USA
Keywords:
Zinc, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, nutritional support, multiple organ failure, organ dysfunction scores.
Abstract:
Background: Zinc supplementation is frequently prescribed during the treatment of
COVID-19. However, the evidence supporting the efficacy of this intervention is mixed.
Objective: Establish the clinical utility of zinc supplementation to alter disease severity in COVID-
19 illness.
Methods: We performed a multicenter, retrospective, observational chart review of patients
admitted to Ascension St. John Hospital or Detroit Medical Center from January 1st, 2020 to May
31st, 2020. All included patients received concomitant hydroxychloroquine due to its zinc
ionophore activity. Our primary outcome was a change in Sequential Organ Failure Assessment
(SOFA) score with secondary outcomes including all-cause mortality, need for intubation, and QTc
prolongation as a safety outcome.
Results: We identified 489 patients who received zinc and 587 patients who did not. The primary
outcome showed a small difference in the change in SOFA score in patients receiving zinc in
univariate analysis (1.08 vs. 1.43, p=0.02), but this difference was not significant after adjustment
for confounding factors such as receipt of corticosteroids and ICU admission. Mortality was not
different between those that received zinc compared to those that did not (32.7% vs. 35.9%,
p=0.268).
Conclusion: Our retrospective study, including 1064 patients hospitalized in Detroit, demonstrated
no differences in mortality or disease severity with zinc combination. Furthermore, prospective
studies are needed to establish the utility of zinc in the treatment of COVID-19.