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Testosterone in males with COVID-19: a 12-month cohort study
Andrea Salonia1,2, Marina Pontillo3, Paolo Capogrosso1,4
1Division of Experimental Oncology/Unit of Urology, URI; IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
Andrology
|October 17, 2022
Summary
Men recovering from COVID-19 may experience long-term low testosterone levels. Testosterone levels gradually increase post-COVID-19, but many men still show hypogonadism signs after 12 months.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Infectious Diseases
- Men's Health
Background:
- COVID-19 infection is linked to reduced total testosterone (tT) levels in men.
- These hormonal changes may correlate with more severe clinical outcomes in affected males.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate total testosterone (tT) levels in men post-COVID-19 recovery.
- To determine the likelihood of recovering normal tT levels (eugonadism) within 12 months after infection.
Main Methods:
- Collected demographic, clinical, and hormonal data from male COVID-19 survivors.
- Defined hypogonadism as tT levels ≤9.2 nmol/L and used the Charlson Comorbidity Index.
- Analyzed hormonal changes at baseline, 7-month (FU1), and 12-month (FU2) follow-ups using regression models.
Main Results:
- Testosterone levels significantly increased from baseline to FU2 (p < 0.0001), with median tT at FU2 of 13.8 nmol/L.
- Luteinizing hormone (LH) and estradiol (E2) levels decreased significantly over time (p ≤ 0.01).
- Lower baseline tT levels independently predicted the probability of tT normalization over time (HR 1.19; p=0.03).
Conclusions:
- Testosterone levels show a sustained increase in men following COVID-19 recovery.
- Despite this trend, approximately 30% of men exhibit hypogonadism at the 12-month follow-up.
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