Background: Zinc has been reported to inhibit the replication of SARS-CoV-2. A study was conducted to assess the safety, feasibility, and biological effect of high-dose zinc in patients with COVID 19. 

Methods: In this Phase IIa double-blind, randomized controlled trial comparing high dose intravenous zinc with placebo in hospitalized patients with COVID 19. The intervention included administration of intravenous zinc for seven days until either hospital discharge or death. Zinc concentrations were assessed at baseline and during treatment, and observed patients for any notable adverse events. 

Results: The trial intervention was randomly given to 33 adult participants (high dose intravenous zinc-15, placebo-18). No serious adverse events were seen throughout the study for a total of 94 HDIVZn administrations. Mean serum zinc on the first day in the placebo and the HDIVZn group was 6.9±1.1 and 7.7±1.6 µmol/l, respectively. Additionally, HDVIZn, but not placebo, raised serum zinc levels above the deficiency cutoff of 10.7 µmol/l (p<.001) on the sixth day. 

Study inference: The study concluded that the zinc deficiency seen in hospitalized COVID 19 patients could be corrected with HDIVZn.The treatment with HDIVZn appeared to be safe, feasible, and the only adverse effects noticed were minimal peripheral infusion site irritation. 

Reference: Patel O, Chinni V, El-Khoury J, et al. J Med Virol. 2021; DOI: 10.1002/jmv.26895