ArticleThe journal of sexual medicine2021
SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia Affects Male Reproductive Hormone Levels: A Prospective, Cohort Study.
Article in The journal of sexual medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 66 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
66 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 103 citations in OpenAlex.
- The Effect of COVID-19 on Male Sex Hormones: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Cohort Study.Journal of epidemiology and global health · 2024Pooled it
- SARS-CoV-2 impairs male fertility by targeting semen quality and testosterone level: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PloS one · 2024Pooled it
- Andrological effects of SARS-Cov-2 infection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of endocrinological investigation · 2022Pooled it
- Semen parameters and sex hormones as affected by SARS-CoV-2 infection: A systematic review.Progres en urologie : journal de l'Association francaise d'urologie et de la Societe francaise d'urologie · 2022Pooled it
- Urological complications of COVID-19: a systematic review.International braz j urol : official journal of the Brazilian Society of UrologyPooled it
- Impact of COVID-19 on pituitary function: a cross-sectional study in southern Iran.BMC endocrine disorders · 2025Article
- The sperm quality change in 6 months recovery from COVID-19: a retrospective observational study.Scientific reports · 2025Observational
- Prolactin: A Key Immunoregulator in Viral Infections and Autoimmune Diseases.International journal of endocrinology · 2025Review
- Repercussion of SARS-CoV-2 on the Sexual Function in Males: An Updated Review.Infectious disorders drug targets · 2025Review
- Testicular immunity.Molecular aspects of medicine · 2024Review
- Prolactin Role in COVID-19 and Its Association with the Underlying Inflammatory Response.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Article
- Causal associations between COVID-19 and erectile dysfunction: a Mendelian randomization study.The Journal of international medical research · 2024Article
- Quantitative Proteomics of COVID-19 Recovered Patients Identifies Long-Term Changes in Sperm Proteins Leading to Cellular Stress in Spermatozoa.Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) · 2024Article
- Correlation between viral infections in male semen and infertility: a literature review.Virology journal · 2024Review
- Mapping the vast landscape of multisystem complications of COVID-19: Bibliometric analysis.Heliyon · 2024Article
- COVID-19 and male fertility: short- and long-term impacts of asymptomatic vs. symptomatic infection on male reproductive potential.Frontiers in reproductive health · 2024Article
- Use of testosterone replacement therapy to treat long-COVID-related hypogonadism.Endocrinology, diabetes & metabolism case reports · 2024Article
- Sex-Specific Total Testosterone and Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate Status in Noncritically Ill Hospitalized Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Cross-Sectional Study.International journal of fertility & sterility · 2023Article
- From Diagnosis to Treatment: Comprehensive Care by Reproductive Urologists in Assisted Reproductive Technology.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2023Review
- SARS-CoV-2 and male infertility: from short- to long-term impacts.Journal of endocrinological investigation · 2023Review
6 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSARS-CoV-2 which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) binds to angiotensin-converting enyzme 2 (ACE2) and enters the host cell. ACE2 protein is expressed highly in the testis.
aimThe aim of this study was to compare male reproductive hormones such as total testosterone (TT), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicular stimulant hormone (FSH), and prolactin between patients with COVID-19, age-matched cases with non-COVID-19 respiratory tract infection, and age-matched controls.
methodsThis was a prospective cohort study and included 262 men aged between 20 and 65 years. The study comprised 3 groups including patients with COVID-19 (n = 89), cases with non-COVID-19 respiratory tract infection (n = 30), and age-matched controls (n = 143). All cases were evaluated using TT, LH, FSH, and prolactin. Correlations between TT and clinical parameters of patient groups were investigated using Pearson's correlation test. OUTCOMES: The primary outcome of the study was detection of the difference of TT, FSH, LH, and prolactin levels between the groups. Secondary outcome was to correlate TT and hospitalization time and oxygen saturation on hospital admission (SpO2) of patients.
resultsThe mean age of study groups was 49.9 ± 12.5 years, 52.7 ± 9.6 years, and 50 ± 7.8 years, respectively (P = .06). Serum TT levels was median 185.52 ng/dL in patients with COVID-19, median 288.67 ng/dL in patients with non-COVID-19 respiratory tract infection and median 332 ng/dL in control cases, (P < .0001). The proportion of patients with testosterone deficiency in group 1, group 2, and group 3 was 74.2%, 53.3%, and 37.8%, respectively (P < .0001). Serum LH levels (P = 0.0003) and serum prolactin levels (P = .0007) were higher in patients with COVID-19 and patients with non-COVID-19 respiratory tract infection than control cases. Correlation analysis revealed significant negative correlation between serum TT levels and hospitalization time of patients with COVID-19 (r = -0.45, P < .0001). In addition, a significant positive correlation was observed between SpO2 and serum TT levels in patients with COVID-19 ( r = 0.32, P = .0028). CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Physicians may consider to evaluate male patients with COVID-19 for concomitant androgen deficiency. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: Strengths include the evidence about the alteration of male reproductive hormones under COVID-19. Limitations include the analysis limited to one general hospital, only a single measurement of TT was available, free and bioavailable testosterone levels were not evaluated.
conclusionThis study demonstrates COVID-19 is associated with decreased level of TT and increased level of LH and prolactin. More serious COVID-19 causes more reduction in TT levels and prolongs hospitalization period. Kadihasanoglu M, Aktas S, Yardimci E, et al. SARS-CoV-2 Pneumonia Affects Male Reproductive Hormone Levels: A Prospective, Cohort Study. J Sex Med 2021;18:256-264.
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