Impact of Androgen Status and Anti-Androgen Therapy on the Course of COVID-19 in Men
October 2020
in “
Проблемы эндокринологии
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TLDR Men with higher androgen levels may have severe COVID-19 symptoms, but those on antiandrogen therapy are less likely to contract the virus and have milder symptoms. Anti-androgen drugs could potentially treat COVID-19, but more research is needed.
The document discusses the impact of androgens and antiandrogens on the severity of COVID-19 in men. Men with higher androgen levels, including those with conditions like androgenic alopecia, tend to have more severe COVID-19 symptoms due to increased TMPRSS2 protein expression. An Italian study of 4532 men found that those receiving androgen deprivation therapy were less likely to contract COVID-19 and had milder symptoms. Only 4 out of 5273 men on this therapy contracted the virus, reducing the risk by 4 times. This is attributed to the therapy's impact on the TMPRSS2 protein, which aids SARS-CoV-2 in infecting cells. The document also discusses the potential use of anti-androgen drugs like spironolactone in treating COVID-19. However, more research is needed to confirm the effectiveness and safety of anti-androgens in treating COVID-19 and to understand the relationship between adverse COVID-19 outcomes and low testosterone levels.
