Severely low testosterone in males with COVID‐19: A case‐control study

Background Circulating androgens could have a relevant pathobiological role in clinical outcomes in men with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection (COVID‐19). Objectives We aimed to assess: (a) circulating sex steroids levels in a cohort of 286 symptomatic men with laboratory‐confirmed COVID‐19 at hospital admission compared to a cohort of 281 healthy men; and (b) the association between serum testosterone levels (tT), COVID‐19, and clinical outcomes. Materials and Methods Demographic, clinical, and hormonal values were collected for all patients. Hypogonadism was defined as tT ≤9.2 nmol/l. The Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) was used to score health‐significant comorbidities. Severe clinical outcomes were defined as patients either transferred to intensive care unit (ICU) or death. Descriptive statistics and multivariable linear and logistic regression models tested the association between clinical and laboratory variables and tT levels. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models tested the association between tT and severe clinical outcomes. Results Overall, a significantly lower levels of LH and tT were found in patients with COVID‐19 compared to healthy controls (all p