Research team “Testosterone influences the severity of COVID-19”
Published in the Journal of the American Medical Association
“It is too early to recommend a treatment for hospitalization prevention”
COVID-19 patients with low levels of the male hormone testosterone are more likely to experience more severe symptoms or be hospitalized, a new study found.
According to foreign media such as News Medical on the 10th, a research team from the St. Louis University School of Medicine in the United States reported that men with low testosterone levels are at greater risk of being hospitalized for COVID-19 than men with normal levels. Network Open).
In the meantime, research results have been published several times that testosterone affects the severity of COVID-19. This is because, in general, men are at a greater risk of hospitalization when they contract COVID-19 than women. There have also been studies that testosterone worsens corona symptoms, but the results are contrary to this study.
The research team conducted this study on 723 men who tested positive in 2020, before a vaccine for COVID-19 was developed, and found their testosterone levels. The research team used hospital systems and patient information in the St. Louis area, and measured testosterone levels in some patients after they recovered.
As a result of the study, 427 people had normal testosterone levels (300-1000 nanograms per deciliter) and 116 had low levels (less than 200 nanograms per deciliter). There were 180 men who had previously had low testosterone levels but were receiving treatment.
When the research team adjusted for age, BMI, race, ethnicity, immunosuppressants, or underlying disease, the group with low testosterone levels was 2.4 times more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19 than the normal group.
On the other hand, men with low testosterone levels in the past but treated with hormone replacement therapy were less likely to be hospitalized than men with normal testosterone levels.
“In the early stages of the pandemic, older adults and obese men were more likely to be hospitalized for COVID-19, which is why we hypothesized that low testosterone levels were associated with COVID-19 risk.” “The risk has been lowered and this hormone should be considered as a risk factor influencing hospitalization for COVID-19.”
However, the research team’s judgment is that it is too early to recommend sex hormone therapy as a treatment for preventing hospitalization for COVID-19.
The research team said, “Testosterone therapy may lower the risk of aggravating COVID-19, but patients with high cardiovascular risk need to discuss hormone therapy with their medical staff. said
Kim Hyun-deok, reporter at Hankyung.com [email protected]