Open AccessCorrelation Between Nongenomic Action of C19-Steroids and COVID-19 Severity
Author(s) -
Mercedes Perusquı́a
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
physiological research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.647
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1802-9973
pISSN - 0862-8408
DOI - 10.33549/physiolres.934789
Subject(s) - covid-19 , androgen , disease , medicine , correlation , action (physics) , risk factor , endocrinology , bioinformatics , biology , pathology , hormone , physics , quantum mechanics , outbreak , infectious disease (medical specialty) , geometry , mathematics
The recent COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time and little is known about this disease. It has been reported that advanced age is considered a major risk factor for COVID-19 complications, and data suggest that this disease is deadlier for men than women but these observations are currently unclear. Regarding androgen action, it has been shown that certain smooth muscles are a target for androgens by inducing an acute relaxing effect in airway and vascular tissues that is nongenomically mediated; likewise, androgens are capable of inducing genomic anti-inflammatory and nongenomic hypotensive responses. The aim of this report is to associate the relationship between COVID-19 and aging men as well as the comorbidities presented in this group of patients linked with androgen deficiency. Remarkably, the nongenomic mechanisms of androgens as potential protectors are reviewed. On this basis, it is suggested that hypotestosteronemia may be a risk factor for COVID-19 severity.