Iron Nutrition and COVID-19 Risk Among Nigerian Healthcare Workers
Author Information
Author(s): Katherine Wander, Olayinka Ogunleye, Evelyn Nwagu, Uche Unigwe, Amelia Odo, Chinedu Chukwubike, Sunday Omilabu, Olumuyiwa Salu, Bukola Owolabi, Bodunrin Osikomaiya, Samuel Ebede, Abimbola Bowale, Abimbola Olaitan, Christopher Chukwu, Chibuzo Ndiokwelu, Chioma Edu-Alamba, Constance Azubuike, Oluwasegun Odubiyi, Yusuf Hassan, Nifemi Oloniniyi, Kelvin Akinrinlola, Rashidat Raheem, Amina Saliu, Ololade Fadipe, Roosevelt Anyanwu, Mercy Orenolu, Maryam Abdullah, Onyinye Ishaya, Chinenye Agulefo, Iorhen Akase, Megan Gauck, Zifan Huang, Mei-Hsiu Chen, Titilayo Okoror, Masako Fujita
Primary Institution: Binghamton University
Hypothesis
Does iron deficiency affect the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers?
Conclusion
The study found that being iron replete and having anemia were associated with a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Supporting Evidence
- 199 participants had adequate data for analysis out of 304 initially enrolled.
- Anemia was found in 33% of participants, and 11% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.
- Logistic regression showed that iron replete individuals had a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Takeaway
This study looked at how iron levels affect the chances of getting COVID-19. It found that having enough iron might actually increase the risk of getting the virus.
Methodology
The study tested 304 healthcare workers for iron deficiency, anemia, and SARS-CoV-2, following them for about 3 months with biweekly tests.
Potential Biases
High missingness in data due to poor attendance for COVID-19 testing may have led to under-ascertainment of cases.
Limitations
Most cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection occurred early in the monitoring period, limiting the ability to analyze longitudinal data effectively.
Participant Demographics
Participants included healthcare workers from hospitals in Lagos and Enugu, Nigeria, with a mix of physicians and support staff.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.11 for anemia, 0.08 for iron replete
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 0.85, 9.75 for iron replete; 95% CI: 0.82, 7.85 for anemia
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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