COVID-19 and Sex Differences: Mechanisms and Biomarkers
Men are consistently overrepresented in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, and COVID (COrona- VIrus-Disease)-19 severe outcomes, including higher fatality rates. These differences are likely due to gender-specific behaviors, genetic and hormonal factors, and sex...
- Autores:
- Tipo de recurso:
- Article of investigation
- Fecha de publicación:
- 2020
- Institución:
- Universidad de Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano
- Repositorio:
- Expeditio: repositorio UTadeo
- Idioma:
- eng
- OAI Identifier:
- oai:expeditiorepositorio.utadeo.edu.co:20.500.12010/12552
- Acceso en línea:
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2020.07.024
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12010/12552
- Palabra clave:
- COVID-19
SARS-Cov-2
Sex
Estrogen
Testosterone
Androgen
Biomarker
ACE2
TMPRSS2
Inflammation
Coagulation
Síndrome respiratorio agudo grave
COVID-19
SARS-CoV-2
Coronavirus
- Rights
- License
- Acceso restringido
| Summary: | Men are consistently overrepresented in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, and COVID (COrona- VIrus-Disease)-19 severe outcomes, including higher fatality rates. These differences are likely due to gender-specific behaviors, genetic and hormonal factors, and sex differences in biological pathways related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Several social, behavioral and comorbid factors are implicated in the generally worse outcomes in men as compared with women. Underlying biological sex differences and their effects on COVID-19 outcomes, however, have received less attention. The present review summarizes the available literature regarding proposed molecular and cellular markers of COVID-19 infection, their associations with health outcomes, and any reported modification by sex. Biological sex differences characterized by such biomarkers exist within healthy populations and also differ with age- and sex-specific conditions, such as pregnancy and menopause. In the context of COVID-19, descriptive biomarker levels are often reported by sex, but data pertaining to the effect of patient sex on the relationship between biomarkers and COVID-19 disease severity/outcomes are scarce. Such biomarkers may offer plausible explanations for the worse COVID-19 outcomes seen in men. There is the need for larger studies with sex-specific reporting and robust analyses to elucidate how sex modifies cellular and molecular pathways associated with SARS-CoV-2. This will improve interpretation of biomarkers and clinical management of COVID-19 patients by facilitating a personalized medical approach to risk stratification, prevention, and treatment. |
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