Sex steroid hormones are associated with mortality in COVID-19 patients

The study investigated the association between sex hormone levels and mortality in severe COVID-19 patients, including 16 postmenopausal women and 24 age-matched men from the Amsterdam University Medical Centers COVID-19 Biobank. It found that low levels of total and free testosterone were significantly associated with higher mortality in men, while low levels of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were linked to higher mortality in both men and women. No significant difference in estradiol levels was observed between deceased and surviving patients. The findings suggested that testosterone and SHBG levels might play a role in COVID-19 mortality, indicating a need for further research into hormone replacement therapy as a potential treatment.