Vitamin B12 status and outcomes in patients admitted to intensive care unit with COVID-19: a three-group comparative analysis

Aims: Vitamin B12 (Vit B12) plays important role in immune modulation. We aimed to compare clinical outcomes, laboratory findings, and survival rates among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) based on their vit B12 levels and to identify factors associated with mortality. Methods: This retrospective study examined ICU patients with COVID-19. Patients were categorized into three groups according to their vit B12 levels at ICU admission: normal (Vit B12-N), low (Vit B12-L) and high (Vit B12). The groups were compared in terms of patient characteristics, laboratory parameters, and survival outcomes. Additionally, the characteristics and laboratory values of the entire cohort were analyzed based on survival status.Results: A total of 665 patients were included (Vit B12-N: 539; Vit B12-L: 39; Vit B12-H: 87). There were no differences in disease severity, clinical characteristics, length of stay, and mortality between the groups (p>0.05). The high vit B12 group showed higher RDW and lower albumin levels compared with the normal vit B12 group (p