Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40821841›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in immunology2025

Correlation between SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody titers and the hormones DHEA, cortisol, testosterone, and progesterone.

Tanja Karl, Anja Schuster, Janne Cadamuro, Gertie Janneke Oostingh

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in immunology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Tanja KarlDepartment of Health Sciences, Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Salzburg, Austria.
Anja SchusterDepartment of Health Sciences, Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Salzburg, Austria.
Janne CadamuroDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria.
Gertie Janneke OostinghDepartment of Health Sciences, Salzburg University of Applied Sciences, Salzburg, Austria.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Hormones, such as DHEA, cortisol, testosterone, and progesterone play an important part in the regulation of the human immune system. However, the exact role of endocrine factors in the production of antibodies, in this case SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, remains poorly understood. We investigated the association between hormone levels and SARS-CoV-2 spike-protein-specific IgG antibody titers in a large, diverse cohort of 861 vaccinated as well as vaccinated plus COVID-19 recovered individuals. We observed negative correlations between cortisol, progesterone, testosterone (in males), and SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody levels. In contrast, a positive correlation was found between DHEA and antibody titers in vaccinated males. These hormone-antibody relationships exhibited important sex-specific differences. Our findings demonstrate that hormonal factors are associated with modulating the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2, with implications for personalized approaches to vaccination and treatment. Furthermore, the wide variability in hormone levels within the healthy population also suggests the potential value of incorporating endocrine assessments into COVID-19 risk profiling. Further research is needed to fully elucidate the mechanistic underpinnings of these hormone-antibody relationships and explore their broader clinical applications in the context of the ongoing COVID-19 endemic.

Indexed as

Antibodies, ViralCOVID-19DehydroepiandrosteroneHydrocortisoneProgesteroneSARS-CoV-2TestosteroneAdultAgedCOVID-19 VaccinesFemaleHumansImmunoglobulin GMaleMiddle AgedSpike Glycoprotein, CoronavirusAntibodies, ViralCOVID-19 VaccinesDehydroepiandrosteroneHydrocortisoneImmunoglobulin GProgesteroneSpike Glycoprotein, CoronavirusTestosteronecortisolCOVID-19DHEAhormonespersonalized medicineprogesteroneSARS-CoV-2-specific antibodiestestosterone

Identifiers

PMID40821841
PMCPMC12350338

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.