Ravindra Maradi - Department of Biochemistry, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, ۵۷۶۱۰۴, Karnataka, India.
Vivek Joshi - Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Drexel University college of Medicine, Innovation Way, Wyomissing, ۱۹۶۱۰, Pennsylvania, USA.
Vaideki Balamurugan - Department of Biochemistry, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, ۵۷۶۱۰۴, Karnataka, India.
Divya Susan Thomas - Department of Biochemistry, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, ۵۷۶۱۰۴, Karnataka, India.
Manjunath Goud - Department of Biochemistry, RAK Medical & Health sciences University, Ras al Khaimah, UAE.

Background: COVID-۱۹ is caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Coronavirus ۲. Since the antioxidant mechanisms such as glutathione peroxidase or superoxide dismutase are downregulated during infection by the virus, there is an imbalance in the oxidant-antioxidant system. In this study we aimed to identify the effect of COVID-۱۹ on the antioxidant defense mechanism by comparing the concentrations of antioxidants and microminerals in COVID-۱۹ patients and healthy controls. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study involved ۲۰۰ patients at Kasturba Hospital, Manipal University. The serum concentrations of antioxidants and minerals were determined to establish the impact of COVID-۱۹ on antioxidants mechanism and nutrient status in COVID-۱۹ patients. Results: The serum concentrations of GPX (۱۰.۳۶ ± ۲.۷۰ ≥ ۵.۸۲ ± ۱.۶۴ mKAT/L, p < ۰.۰۰۰۱) and copper (۲۱۹۲.۵ ± ۴۴۹.۸ ≥ ۷۸۲.۱۵ ± ۱۰۶.۵ µg/dL, p < ۰.۰۰۰۱) were significantly greater, and zinc (۳۴.۷۸ ± ۴.۵ ≤ ۸۱.۰۷ ± ۱۰.۱۳ µg/dL, p < ۰.۰۰۰۱) was significantly less, in the study group than in controls. The Pearson correlation between serum SOD and zinc was significant (r = ۰.۴۹۱, p < ۰.۰۰۰۱) indicating the importance of zinc in maintaining and improving SOD activity. No significant correlations were observed between copper and SOD (r = -۰.۰۸۹) or iron and CAT (r = -۰.۰۲۷). Conclusions: Our study demonstrated the expected increase in oxidant-radical production during COVID-۱۹ by estimating the altered concentrations of antioxidants and the minerals required to neutralize the elevated ROS. This finding is not novel but adds to the existing literature, which recommends nutritional supplementation of microminerals and antioxidants.

Keywords: COVID-۱۹, Cytokines, Glutathione Peroxidase, Minerals, Reactive oxygen species, Zinc.