Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Sep 01, 2025 5 hours, 4 minutes ago
Medical News: Why Calcium Levels Matter in COVID-19
A new study from researchers at the University of Angers in France and the Robarts Research Institute at the University of Western Ontario in Canada has uncovered a surprising link between blood calcium levels and death risk in elderly COVID-19 patients. Specifically, the study found that older adults hospitalized with COVID-19 who had higher ionized calcium levels faced more than twice the risk of dying within three months compared to those with lower calcium readings. This
Medical News report highlights the importance of what may seem like a routine mineral in the body but turns out to be a significant factor in survival outcomes.
High Calcium Levels Linked to Higher Death Risk in Elderly COVID-19 Patients
How the Study Was Conducted
The research was carried out at the geriatric acute care unit of Angers University Hospital, which had been dedicated to COVID-19 patients during two waves of the pandemic. The team examined 179 elderly patients, with an average age of 86, who were admitted between March 2020 and March 2021. Blood samples taken at admission were analyzed for ionized calcium, a form of calcium that circulates freely in the blood and plays a direct role in vital body functions. Patients were then monitored to assess survival at three months, six months, and two years.
Key Findings on Calcium and Mortality
The study revealed that patients with ionized calcium levels higher than 1.22 mmol/L had a significantly increased risk of death within three months of their COVID-19 diagnosis. In fact, after adjusting for other factors such as age, undernutrition, cancer history, kidney problems, and the severity of COVID-19, the risk of death for these patients was 2.4 times higher than those with lower calcium levels. Even when considering outcomes at six months, the trend remained: elevated calcium levels were still linked to higher mortality. By the two-year mark, more than two-thirds of patients with high calcium levels had died.
Why Elevated Calcium Might Be Dangerous
Calcium plays a critical role in many biological processes, including nerve transmission, muscle contraction, and even viral replication. Earlier studies have shown that viruses, including coronaviruses, can manipulate calcium levels to fuel their spread. In elderly patients, immobility, isolation during hospitalization, and pre-existing frailty may worsen calcium imbalance. Researchers suggest that high calcium levels may intensify inflammation and cardiovascular strain, both of which can be deadly in already vulnerable older adults.
What This Means for Elderly Care
The findings challenge the assumption that “normal” or “slightly high” calcium levels are harmless. In the context of COVID-19, even calcium values considered within the normal range could signal danger for older patients. The researchers believe that ionized calcium monitoring should become a standard part of managing elderly COVID-19 patients. Detecting elevated ca
lcium levels early could help doctors identify those at greatest risk and possibly tailor interventions.
Conclusion
This study sheds new light on how a simple mineral balance in the body can have profound implications for survival during COVID-19. Elderly patients with higher ionized calcium levels face a dramatically increased risk of death within three months of hospitalization. While more research is needed to explore whether treatments targeting calcium balance could improve outcomes, the message for clinicians is clear: monitoring calcium levels could save lives. For families and caregivers, the findings highlight just how fragile the balance of health is in older COVID-19 patients.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: The Journal of Nutrition Health and Aging.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1279770725001861
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Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/targeting-calcium-signaling-to-mitigate-cardiovascular-effects-of-sars-cov-2
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/coronary-artery-calcium-levels-may-predict-covid-19-outcomes
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/new-study-reveals-how-sars-cov-2-e-protein-disrupts-calcium-balance-by-targeting-serca
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