The hormonal environment (steroid, primarily) could have a very relevant pathophysiological role in association with SARS-CoV-2. That is, testosterone could play a relevant role in leaving male subjects more exposed to infection and more prone to developing severe complications following COVID-19 infection.

Preliminary data suggests that male individuals are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection, at least in Western countries, and that their mortality rate is higher than female individuals. This would seem to suggest that the hormonal environment (steroid, primarily) could have a very relevant pathophysiological role in association with SARS-CoV-2. That is, testosterone could play a relevant role in leaving male subjects more exposed to infection and more prone to developing severe complications following COVID-19 infection. Another option is that COVID-19 infection could cause a condition of acute hypogonadism, following which, the exhaustion of androgenic action could act as a co-trigger of a severe or even fatal course of the disease.

Inclusion Criteria:

Patient Cohort:

• Male patients with an age > 18 hospitalized in the departments dedicated to the care of patients affected by COVID-19 at the San Raffaele Hospital and with:
• biological samples positive for SARS-CoV-2;
• negative test but highly suggestive clinical and radiological picture;
• patients discharged from the emergency room with biological samples positive for SARS-CoV-2;
• ability to read and sign the informed consent

Control Cohort:

• healthy donors with an age> 18 accessing the IRCCS OSR Blood Donor Center;
• ability to read and sign the informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• People with an age < 18;
• incapacity to read and sign the informed consent

Males

Male COVID-19 patients and male healthy individuals