Background A novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causing the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), may attack testes by angiotensin-converting enzyme 2. Objective To assess whether SARS-CoV-2 infection can affect sex-related hormones and testicular function in recovering patients. Materials and methods The patients were separately classified according to the duration of viral shedding (long-term positive vs normal-term group, with the former cases having a duration > 50 days) and disease severity (moderate vs severe group). Differences in sex-related hormone levels were compared between groups and linear regression analysis was used to compare the associations of testosterone (T) and estradiol with various clinical and laboratory factors. Results A total of 39 COVID-19-infected patients were included in this study. The mean T level was in the normal reference range while the mean estradiol level was above the normal limit. There were no significant differences between the long-term positive and normal-term groups in T (P = .964), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH; P = .694), luteinizing hormone (LH; P = .171), prolactin (PRL; P = .836), or T/LH (P = .512). However, estradiol was higher in the normal-term group than the long-term positive group (P < .001). Moreover, there were also no significant differences between the moderate and severe groups in sex-related hormones, duration of viral shedding, or serum biochemical or inflammation indicators. Additionally, regression analyses showed that there were no associations between the T level and the clinical and laboratory factors, while estradiol was negatively associated with the duration of viral shedding. Conclusion In males infected with SARS-CoV-2, most sex-related hormones (T, FSH and LH levels) remain within the normal reference ranges after recovery from COVID-19, and no significant associations were observed between T level and disease duration or severity. At present, there is insufficient evidence to show that SARS-CoV-2 causes hypogonadism and sterility, but the potential risk should not be ignored.
基金:
Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China [2020M670028ZX]
第一作者单位:[1]Huazhong Univ Sci & Technol,Hlth Management Ctr,Tongji Med Coll,Tongji Hosp,Wuhan,Peoples R China
通讯作者:
推荐引用方式(GB/T 7714):
Xu Hui,Wang Zhixian,Feng Chunxiang,et al.Effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on male sex-related hormones in recovering patients[J].ANDROLOGY.2021,9(1):107-114.doi:10.1111/andr.12942.
APA:
Xu, Hui,Wang, Zhixian,Feng, Chunxiang,Yu, Weiwei,Chen, Yuan...&Liu, Chang.(2021).Effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on male sex-related hormones in recovering patients.ANDROLOGY,9,(1)
MLA:
Xu, Hui,et al."Effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on male sex-related hormones in recovering patients".ANDROLOGY 9..1(2021):107-114