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Archives of Public Health
Published in: Archives of Public Health 1/2023

Open Access 01-12-2023 | COVID-19 | Systematic Review

Association of the androgens with COVID-19 prognostic outcomes: a systematic review

Authors: Linyu Zhang, Xinrui Sun, Ying Feng, Fang Ma

Published in: Archives of Public Health | Issue 1/2023

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Abstract

Objective

The coronavirus disease 2019 was a global public health emergency in later years (from 2020 to early 2022), and androgens have been associated with infection and prognostic outcomes. However, the relationship between low serum testosterone levels and prognostic outcomes remains inconclusive. This systematic review aimed to investigate the relationship between serum testosterone levels and prognostic outcomes in patients with COVID-19.

Methods

We searched PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science electronic databases for all literature from January 1, 2020, to September 1, 2022. In addition, we also searched literature manually. The search terms were COVID-19, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), androgens, and testosterone. There were no language restrictions for retrieval.

Results

Our search identified 2285 articles, resulting in a full-text analysis of 16 studies, including 12 cohort studies and four case-control studies. Low serum testosterone levels were observed to be statistically associated with a higher probability of intensive care unit (ICU) admission in seven studies. In eight studies, higher hospital mortality was associated with lower serum testosterone levels. Six studies found that low serum testosterone levels were associated with a statistically significant difference in lung function impairment. Only four studies found that among living patients, those with lower serum testosterone levels had longer hospital stays. All but one of the included studies had a low risk of bias.

Conclusions

Based on available data, low serum testosterone levels are associated with higher rates of ICU admission, hospital mortality, risk of lung failure, inflammatory markers, and longer hospital stays in patients with COVID-19 compared with those having normal serum testosterone levels.
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Metadata
Title
Association of the androgens with COVID-19 prognostic outcomes: a systematic review
Authors
Linyu Zhang
Xinrui Sun
Ying Feng
Fang Ma
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Archives of Public Health / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 2049-3258
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13690-023-01168-2

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