A pilot double-blind safety and feasibility randomized controlled trial of high-dose intravenous zinc in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc.

The researchers performed a Phase IIa double-blind, randomized controlled trial to compare HDIVZn to placebo in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

Why It Was Studied

Zinc inhibits replication of the SARS-CoV virus.

For eligible patients, the researchers randomized and administered treatment to 33 adult participants to either HDIVZn (n = 15) or placebo (n = 18).

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 33 participants were involved.

PubMed indexes the participants as adults, middle-aged adults, older adults and people over 80, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and pilot study.

The participants were allocated by chance, so the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc group and the comparison group should start out alike.

Neither the participants nor the staff measuring them knew who was on Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc, so expectations could not easily colour the readings.

Some participants received a placebo instead of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc, giving a reference point.

It is described as a pilot, a small early test of whether a larger Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc study would be practical.

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Feasibility Studies, Inpatients, Oxygen, Pilot Projects, Respiration, Artificial, SARS-CoV-2 and Zinc.

The authors tagged it with the keywords COVID-19, randomized controlled trial and trial protocol.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in 33 participants.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2021 (Journal of medical virology), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc compound page, all human trials.