Advertisement
Mayo Clinic Proceedings Home
MCP Digital Health Home
Advanced searchSave search
Original Article|Articles in Press

Estradiol and Dihydrotestosterone Levels in COVID-19 Patients

Published:January 16, 2023DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2022.12.018
Estradiol and Dihydrotestosterone Levels in COVID-19 Patients
Previous ArticleThe Digitization and Decentralization of Clinical Trials
Next ArticleDevelopment and Validation of an Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Prediction Model in Coronavirus Disease-2019: Updated Lung Injury Prediction Score
      This paper is only available as a PDF. To read, Please Download here.

      ABSTRACT:

      Objective

      To determine differences in plasma sex hormone levels in male and female COVID-19 patients and healthy volunteers (HVs), since cell entry of SARs-CoV-2 virus occurs via the ACE-2 receptor which is downregulated by 17β-Estradiol.

      Patients and Methods

      Citrated plasma samples were collected from 101 COVID-19 patients upon presentation to the Emergency Department and from 40 HVs between November 1, 2020, through May 30, 2021. Plasma 17β-Estradiol and 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels were measured using ELISA (pg/mL). Data presented as median and quartiles [Q1, Q3]. Wilcoxon rank sum test, p<.05 significant.

      Results

      COVID-19 patients (median age 49 years) included 51 males and 50 females (25 post-menopausal). Hospital admission was required for 59% of male patients and 48% of female patients (16 post-menopausal). HVs (median age 41 years) included 20 males and 20 females (9 post-menopausal). Female COVID-19 patients were found to have decreased 17β-Estradiol levels (18.5 [10.5, 32.3]; 41.4 [15.5, 111.0], p=.025), and lower 17β-Estradiol to DHT ratios (0.073 [0.052, 0.159]; 0.207 [0.104, 0.538], p=.015) than female HVs. Male COVID-19 patents were found to have decreased DHT levels (302.8 [249.9, 470.8]; 457.2 [368.7, 844.3], p=.005), compared to male HVs. DHT levels did not differ between female COVID-19 patients and female HVs, while 17β-Estradiol levels did not differ between male COVID-19 patients and male HVs.

      Conclusions

      Sex hormone levels differ between COVID-19 patients and HVs, with sex-specific patterns of hypogonadism in males and females. These alterations may be associated with disease development and severity.

      Key Words

      Abbreviations:

      ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme), COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), DHT (5α-dihydrotestosterone), ED (emergency department), IFN-γ (interferon-γ), IL (interleukin)

      Article info

      Publication history

      Accepted: December 27, 2022
      Received: October 14, 2022

      Publication stage

      In Press Accepted Manuscript

      Footnotes

      Conflicts of Interest Statement: This project was presented as a Quickshot presentation at the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Virtual Congress, April 18-21, 2022.

      Funding Statement: This project was supported by R38HL150086 Stimulating Access to Research in Residency (TAM) from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), T32 AG049672 from the National Institute of Aging (NIA) and Robert and Arlene Kogod Center for Aging, Mayo Clinic (JG), UM1 HL120877-06 (MSP) by the Trans-Agency Consortium for Trauma-Induced Coagulopathy (TACTIC). The authors have no conflicts of interest. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH. The sponsors were not involved in the study design; in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the article for publication.

      Author Contributions

      Taleen A. MacArthur, Julie Goswami: Conceptualization; Data curation; Funding acquisition; Investigation; Methodology; Project administration; Roles/Writing - original draft; Writing - review editing.

      Dhanya Ramachandran: Data curation; Investigation; Methodology; Writing - review editing.

      Tammy L. Price-Troska: Methodology; Project administration; Resources; Software; Supervision; Writing - review editing.

      Kaitlin A. Lundell: Data curation; Methodology; Project administration; Resources; Writing - review editing.

      Beth A. Ballinger, Erica A. Loomis, Stephanie F. Heller, Daniel Stephens, Ryan T. Hurt, Bradley R. Salonen, Ravindra Ganesh: Investigation; Methodology; Resources; Writing - review editing.

      Grant M. Spears, Kent R. Bailey: Data curation; Formal analysis; Methodology; Resources; Software; Writing - review editing.

      Irshad H. Chaudry: Conceptualization; Data curation; Investigation; Methodology; Visualization; Writing - review editing.

      Myung S. Park: Conceptualization; Funding acquisition; Investigation; Methodology; Project administration; Resources; Supervision; Visualization; Roles/Writing - original draft; Writing - review editing.

      Identification

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2022.12.018

      Copyright

      © 2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

      ScienceDirect

      Access this article on ScienceDirect
      We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content. To update your cookie settings, please visit the for this site.
      Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. except certain content provided by third parties. The content on this site is intended for healthcare professionals.


      RELX