Gender differences in COVID-19 infection. The estrogen effect on upper and lower airways. Can it help to figure out a treatment?

摘要

Epidemiologic evidence from the first large-scale studies suggests that males are more severelyaffected than females by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-CoronaVirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2).They present worse outcomes, require longer hospitalization time and have a higher mortalityrate when compared with women1. Scientists have speculated that female hormones, especiallyestrogen, could explain the better outcomes and the higher resistance to the virus observed inwomen. This higher resistance is due to the systemic and local effect of female hormones on thedifferent cells. In particular, estrogens stimulate the immune system by modulating the functionof B cells and improving T-helper 2 cell activity2.