Men and COVID-19: A Pathophysiologic Review.
Coronaviruses are single-stranded ribonucleic acid viruses that can cause illnesses in humans ranging from the common cold to severe respiratory disease and even death.In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as the first pandemic. Compared to women, most countries with available data report that men with COVID-19 have greater disease severity and higher mortality. Lab and animal data indicate that men respond differently to the SARS-CoV-2 infection, offering possible explanations for the epidemiologic observations. The plausible theories underlying these observations include sex-related differences in angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptors, immune function, hormones, habits, and coinfection rates.In this review we examine these factors and explore the rationale as to how each may impact COVID-19. Understanding why men are more likely to experience severe disease can help in developing effective treatments, public health policies, and targeted strategies such as early recognition and aggressive testing in subgroups.
['Lipsky|Martin S|MS|', 'Hung|Man|M|0000-0003-2827-3740']
D000085962:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 D015415:Biomarkers D000086382:COVID-19 D018352:Coronavirus Infections D005260:Female D005819:Genetic Markers D014943:Global Health D006801:Humans D008297:Male D058873:Pandemics D007703:Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A D011024:Pneumonia, Viral D015995:Prevalence D018570:Risk Assessment D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome D012737:Sex Factors D016019:Survival Analysis D014944:World Health Organization
Men COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic public health SAR-CoV-2 crisis pathology