Age and Hair Cortisol Levels as Predictors of SARS-CoV-2 Infection

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Epidemiology
• Psychoneuroendocrinology

Background:

• Chronic psychosocial stress negatively affects immune function.
• The COVID-19 pandemic heightened occupational stress for healthcare workers.
• Understanding stress as a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between chronic stress and SARS-CoV-2 infection risk.
• To examine hair cortisol levels as a biomarker for chronic stress.
• To determine if stress impacts infection risk differently based on age.

Main Methods:

• Nested case-control study with 49 SARS-CoV-2 positive cases and 49 negative controls.
• Hair samples were segmented to measure cortisol levels, reflecting chronic stress.
• Conditional logistic regression models were used, adjusting for covariates and stratifying by age.

Main Results:

• Higher hair cortisol concentrations were linked to increased odds of SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR = 1.84) in older participants (≥41 years).
• No significant association was found between hair cortisol and infection risk in younger participants.
• African Americans exhibited higher hair cortisol levels compared to other racial/ethnic groups.

Conclusions:

• Psychosocial stress may be a significant risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection, particularly in older individuals.
• Hair cortisol serves as a viable biomarker for assessing chronic stress.
• Implementing stress management strategies could enhance protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection.