Biological sex impacts COVID-19 outcomes

PLoS Pathog. 2020 Jun 22;16(6):e1008570. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008570. eCollection 2020 Jun.

Abstract

The current novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is revealing profound differences between men and women in disease outcomes worldwide. In the United States, there has been inconsistent reporting and analyses of male-female differences in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. We seek to raise awareness about the male-biased severe outcomes from COVID-19, highlighting the mechanistic differences including in the expression and activity of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as well as in antiviral immunity. We also highlight how sex differences in comorbidities, which can be associated with both age and race, impact male-biased outcomes from COVID-19.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2
  • COVID-19
  • Comorbidity
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Coronavirus Infections / metabolism
  • Coronavirus Infections / physiopathology
  • Hospitalization
  • Humans
  • Pandemics
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A / metabolism
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / metabolism
  • Pneumonia, Viral / physiopathology
  • Receptors, Virus / metabolism
  • Sex Factors*
  • United States / epidemiology

Substances

  • Receptors, Virus
  • Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A
  • ACE2 protein, human
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2