Assessing the Relationship between Serum Testosterone Levels and COVID-19 Outcomes in Admitted Patients
Men's Health Journal,
Vol. 6 No. 1 (2022),
1 Dey 2022
,
Page e12
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v6i1.39329
Abstract
Introduction: With the emergence of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, a high toll of mortality and morbidity was imposed on Iran. Despite endeavors to control the disease using the social distancing protocols, isolations, quarantine and vaccination, COVID-19 is still afflicting individuals by mutation and development of new variants. Studies suggest higher morbidity and mortality among men compared to women, and in men with underlying diseases. Studies suggest low serum testosterone level as a risk factor for more severe diseases. We aimed to assess the relation of testosterone level with laboratory investigation and its effect on COVID-19 disease outcomes. Materials and Methods: Seventy patients were selected from those referred to Shohada-e-Tajrish hospital during February 2022 till July 2022. The patients were further categorized in two groups regarding their need for respiratory support: patients who did not need invasive respiratory support and patients who needed invasive respiratory support and were admitted to the intensive care unit. Blood samples were collected for laboratory examination. Each patient was followed for one month, and the outcomes were recorded. Results: The mean age of the participants was 64.44 years including 33 men and 37 women. Mean serum total and free testosterone level was 0.45 nmol/L and 1.22 nmol/L, respectively. Demised patients were significantly older and had significantly lower total testosterone levels. D-dimer was significantly higher in demised patients. Conclusion: Serum total testosterone levels can be used as a prognostic factor to predict COVID-19 patients’ prognosis. Serum total testosterone is inversely associated with disease severity, and lower serum total testosterone level is significantly associated with higher mortality. Moreover, inflammatory markers such as D-dimer can be used to determine prognosis and severity.
- Androgen
- COVID-19
- Mortality
- Prognosis
- Testosterone
How to Cite
References
WH O. WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard 2022. 2022.
Pradhan A, Olsson PE. Sex differences in severity and mortality from COVID-19: are males more vulnerable? Biol Sex Differ. 2020;11(1):53.
Wambier CG, Goren A. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is likely to be androgen mediated. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2020;83(1):308-9.
Cayan S, Uguz M, Saylam B, Akbay E. Effect of serum total testosterone and its relationship with other laboratory parameters on the prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in SARS-CoV-2 infected male patients: a cohort study. Aging Male. 2020;23(5):1493-503.
Ma L, Xie W, Li D, Shi L, Mao Y, Xiong Y, et al. Effect of SARS-CoV-2 infection upon male gonadal function: A single center-based study. medRxiv. 2020.
Montano LM, Sommer B, Solis-Chagoyan H, Romero-Martinez BS, Aquino-Galvez A, Gomez-Verjan JC, et al. Could Lower Testosterone in Older Men Explain Higher COVID-19 Morbidity and Mortalities? Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(2).
Rastrelli G, Di Stasi V, Inglese F, Beccaria M, Garuti M, Di Costanzo D, et al. Low testosterone levels predict clinical adverse outcomes in SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia patients. Andrology. 2021;9(1):88-98.
Zheng S, Zou Q, Zhang D, Yu F, Bao J, Lou B, et al. Serum level of testosterone predicts disease severity of male COVID-19 patients and is related to T-cell immune modulation by transcriptome analysis. Clin Chim Acta. 2022;524:132-8.
Infante M, Pieri M, Lupisella S, D'Amore L, Bernardini S, Fabbri A, et al. Low testosterone levels and high estradiol to testosterone ratio are associated with hyperinflammatory state and mortality in hospitalized men with COVID-19. Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2021;25(19):5889-903.
Pagano MT, Peruzzu D, Busani L, Pierdominici M, Ruggieri A, Antinori A, et al. Predicting respiratory failure in patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 by admission sex-specific biomarkers. Biol Sex Differ. 2021;12(1):63.
Montopoli M, Zumerle S, Vettor R, Rugge M, Zorzi M, Catapano CV, et al. Androgen-deprivation therapies for prostate cancer and risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2: a population-based study (N = 4532). Ann Oncol. 2020;31(8):1040-5.
Schroeder M, Tuku B, Jarczak D, Nierhaus A, Bai T, Jacobsen H, et al. The majority of male patients with COVID-19 present low testosterone levels on admission to Intensive Care in Hamburg, Germany: a retrospective cohort study. medRxiv. 2020.
Ory J, Lima TFN, Towe M, Frech FS, Best JC, Kava BR, et al. Understanding the Complex Relationship Between Androgens and SARS-CoV2. Urology. 2020;144:1-3.
- Abstract Viewed: 136 times
- pdf Downloaded: 74 times