CHANGES IN MALE REPRODUCTIVE HORMONES IN PATIENTS WITH COVID-19

COVID-19 is a global, highly contagious, predominantly respiratory viral illness caused by coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). Although COVID-19 is mainly a respiratory disease, it can affect other organ systems causing a lot of extrapulmonary manifestations and multiple organ dysfunctions. The aim of the study is to discover if COVID-19 affects male reproductive hormones (testosterone and luteinizing hormone) or not, and whether this effect (if present) is negatively associated with the severity of the disease. In this prospective case-control study we recruited 120 reproductive-aged male patients, they represent group (A) which is subdivided into 3 groups according to the severity of the disease (mild, moderate, and severe). A control group consisting of another 120 age-matched males was randomly selected and they represent group (B). The hormone profile of the diseased group is then compared to that of the control group. The testosterone/LH ratio of both groups was calculated and compared. The age of cases had a mean of 41.96±10.18 and that of the control was 41.85±10.2 years. The age distribution of both groups did not show significant statistical differences (0.937). Patients with COVID-19 exhibited considerably lower levels of total blood testosterone (P=0.043) and T/LH ratio (P value 0.0001) compared to the control group, although serum LH levels were significantly higher in the COVID-19 group (P value 0.0001). Conclusions: In addition to the hematological, biochemical, inflammatory, and immune biomarkers abnormality in patients with COVID-19, the current study demonstrated that total testosterone level, LH level, and T/LH ratio might be affected by the disease according to severity. Recommendations: Due to the novelty of COVID-19, only a few studies about its effect on male reproductive hormones are available worldwide and no similar study in our locality. Further studies are required for a better understanding of this issue.