Authors: McCoy J, Cadegiani FA, Wambler CG, Herrera S, Goren A
PMID: 33135263 DOI: 10.1111/jdv.17021
Abstract
We have previously reported that men with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) are more likely to present with severe COVID-19 symptoms, potentially implicating androgen sensitivity as a risk factor for COVID-19.1-3 As such, we hypothesized that 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (5ARi) may reduce the severity of COVID-19 disease. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a retrospective cohort analysis on male subjects with laboratory confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. The subjects presented at one of five outpatient clinics (Corpometria Institute Brasilia, Brazil) from 15 June to 28 July 2020. At the time of visit, 29 clinical symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection were documented. For analysis, male subjects with AGA were selected. The frequency of clinical symptoms in males with AGA using 5ARis was compared to those not using 5ARis.
Keywords: 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors, androgenetic alopecia, SARS-CoV2, COVID-19
