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Horm Metab Res 2022; 54(12): 813-826
DOI: 10.1055/a-1954-5605
Review

Androgens’ Role in Severity and Mortality Rates of COVID-19

Ali Ataei 
1   School of Medicine, Bam University of Medical Sciences, Bam, Iran
,
Mohammad Moein Derakhshan
2   Student Research Committee, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran
,
Mohadese Razmjooie
3   Nursing School, Islamic Azad University of Darab, Darab, Iran
,
Fateme Zare
4   Reproductive Immunology Research Center, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran
,
Habibe Amiresmaeili
5   Nursing Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
,
Negin Salehi
6   School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
,
Negar Namakkoobi
7   Student Research Committee, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
,
Hamid Mirhosseini 
8   Research Center of Addiction and Behavioral Sciences, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran
,
Bardia Karim
9   Student Research Committee, Babol University of Medical Science, Babol, Iran
,
Sima Iravani
10   School of Paramedical Sciences, Yazd University of Medical Science, Yazd, Iran
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Abstract

By the end of December 2019 new corona virus began to spread from Wuhan, China and caused a worldwide pandemic. COVID-19 deaths and prevalence represented sex discrepant patterns with higher rate of deaths and infection in males than females which could be justified by androgen-mediated mechanisms. This review aimed to assess the role of androgens in COVID-19 severity and mortality. Androgens increase expressions of Type II transmembrane Serine Protease (TMPRSS2) and Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), which both facilitate new corona virus entry into host cell and their expression is higher in young males than females. According to observational studies, prevalence of COVID-19 infections and deaths was more in androgenic alopecic patients than patients without androgenic alopecia. The COVID-19 mortality rates in aged men (>60 years) were substantially higher than aged females and even young males caused by high inflammatory activities such as cytokine storm due to hypogonadism in this population. Use of anti-androgen and TMPRSS2 inhibitor drugs considerably modified COVID-19 symptoms. Androgen deprivation therapy also improved COVID-19 symptoms in prostate cancer: overall the role of androgens in severity of COVID-19 and its associated mortality seemed to be very important. So, more studies in variety of populations are required to define the absolute role of androgens.

Key words

androgens - testosterone - COVID-19 severity - SARS-CoV-2 - TMPRSS2 - cytokine storm


Publication History

Received: 20 December 2021

Accepted after revision: 04 October 2022

Accepted Manuscript online:
04 October 2022

Article published online:
21 November 2022

© 2022. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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