Free Testosterone Levels in Patients with COVID-19 and Its Association with Disease Severity

A prospective, observational study of 49 patients (32 men and 17 women) with COVID-19 found that those with lower levels of free testosterone had worse outcomes than those with higher levels. The mean free testosterone for survivors was 3.21 pg/ml, compared to 1.82 pg/ml in non-survivors. This pattern held true for both men and women. The study suggests that testosterone could act as a protective factor, reducing the risk of cytokine storm. Lower levels of testosterone have been associated with higher levels of IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha. The study also found a significant negative correlation between free testosterone levels, age, and the APACHE II score. However, the study did not consider the association between obesity and testosterone levels and only included moderate to severe patients hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia.