Low testosterone in men may raise risk of COVID hospitalization

Men with low testosterone levels and COVID-19 were more than twice as likely as men with normal concentrations to be hospitalized, but those treated with hormone replacement therapy weren't at elevated risk, suggests an observational study today in JAMA Network Open.A team led by St.

Louis University and Washington University researchers analyzed the electronic health records of 723 adult male COVID-19 survivors with testosterone measurements from Jan 1, 2017, to Dec 31, 2021.

Most had COVID-19 in 2020, before vaccines were available.The men had their testosterone measured because they had symptoms of low testosterone (hypogonadism), which was defined as a concentration below 175 to 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL), depending on the reference lab.

Testosterone concentrations were measured a median of 7 months before COVID-19 infection in 73% of patients and a median of 6 months after recovery in 27%.2.4 times the risk of hospitalizationOf the 723 participants, average age was 55 years, average body mass index was 33.5 kilograms per meter squared (obese), 16% had hypogonadism, 60% had normal testosterone levels (eugonadism), and 25% were receiving testosterone therapy.A total of 134 men were hospitalized with COVID-19, and these patients were older (average age, 62 vs 53 years), had more underlying medical conditions (median Charlson Cormorbidity Index [CCI] score, 2 vs 0), and were more likely to have immune suppression (19% vs 4%) than nonhospitalized men.Thirty-two men were receiving medication to lower their testosterone levels in an effort to impede the growth of their prostate cancer, and their median testosterone level was 3.5 ng/dL.