ABSTRACT
The prevalence of telogen effluvium (TE) has increased during COVID-19. In this study we describe the clinical characteristics of patients with COVID-19-related TE and review the current literature on COVID-19-associated TE. We conducted a retrospective chart review of 66 patients, all of which had COVID-19 infection (confirmed by PCR or antibodies) and had either non-scarring hair loss or TE in Elmhurst, Queens. Our data suggest that this form of TE is similar to other forms of TE, after which many patients experience regrowth within several months.
Subject(s)
Alopecia/etiology , COVID-19/complications , Alopecia/blood , Alopecia/epidemiology , COVID-19/blood , COVID-19/epidemiology , Cohort Studies , Comorbidity , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , New York City/epidemiology , Retrospective Studies , Time Factors , Vitamin D/analogs & derivatives , Vitamin D/bloodABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIM: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a global health emergency. According to the findings, male patients with COVID-19 infection are at an increased risk for severe complications than females. The causes of this issue are unknown and are most probably multifactorial. Sexual hormones affect the immune system, so estrogen strengthens the immune system, and testosterone suppresses it. Due to the reports of the high prevalence of androgenic alopecia in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and a higher risk of respiratory disease and increased use of allergy/asthma medications among patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) as a hyperandrogenism condition compared with non-PCOS women, this review aimed to evaluate androgens role in COVID-19. METHODS: 42 related articles from 2008 to 2020 were reviewed with the keywords of androgens, hormonal factors, and hair loss in combination with COVID-19 in medical research databases. RESULTS: The evidence of transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMPRSS2) expression in lung tissue, which is an androgen-regulated gene and expressed mainly in the adult prostate may interpret the increased susceptibility of the male gender to severe COVID-19 complications. Moreover, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) acts as a functional receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and male hormones are effective in the ACE-2 passageway and simplify SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells. CONCLUSION: Further studies on the severity of symptoms in patients with COVID-19 in other hyperandrogenism conditions compared to the control group are recommended.