Ever since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the microscopic villain has crept in and impacted the global population in more ways than one. It has been a global challenge to contain the coronavirus disease and continues to be like that. Although everyone is at a high risk of getting infected with the disease and anyone can succumb to the infection, older people are more likely to face the risk of developing severe illness. However, a new study has found that older women might be able to reduce the chances of dying due to COVID-19 due to the presence of a hormone called oestrogen in their bodies. Here’s what the study found.
Oestrogen In Women Might Protect Them From Dying From COVID
Oestrogen is a hormone that has several functions in the body. It aids the development and maintenance of both the reproductive system and feminine traits in females. According to new research, an older woman’s oestrogen levels may be connected to her risk of dying from COVID-19 infection, with higher levels of the hormone appearing to protect against severe illness.
According to the study published in the ‘BMJ Open’ open-access journal, it may be worthwhile to investigate additional hormone treatment to reduce the severity of COVID-19 infection in women who have previously gone through menopause. Even after controlling for potentially important factors, women appeared to have a lower risk of severe COVID-19 infection than men. This was also true of other recent dangerous viral illnesses, such as MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome).
The Study
The researchers compared the effects of increasing and decreasing oestrogen levels on the severity of COVID-19 infection to learn more about the connection. They used data from the Swedish Public Health Agency (all people who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2), Statistics Sweden (socioeconomic characteristics), and the National Board of Health and Welfare (all those who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2) (causes of death).
Between 4 February and 14 September 2020, 49,853 women in Sweden were diagnosed with COVID-19, 16,693 of whom were between the ages of 50 and 80.
In total, 14,685 women were included in the study: 227 (2 per cent) had previously been diagnosed with breast cancer and were taking oestrogen blocker drugs (adjuvant therapy) to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence (group 1), and 2535 (17 per cent) were taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to boost their oestrogen levels to alleviate menopausal symptoms (group 2). The comparison group consisted of 11,923 (81 per cent) women who were not receiving any form of treatment to increase or decrease their systemic oestrogen levels.
The Results
The crude odds of dying from COVID-19 were twice as high among women on oestrogen blockers (group 1) as they were among women on no oestrogen medication (group 2). However, the crude odds of dying from COVID-19 were 54 per cent lower among women on oestrogen blockers (group 2). After controlling for potentially influencing characteristics like age, annual disposable income, educational achievement, and concurrent health disorders, women on HRT had a considerably decreased (53 per cent) risk of dying from COVID-19 (group 2).
Age was found to be strongly related to the risk of dying from COVID-19, with each additional year resulting in a 15 per cent increase in the risk of death, and each additional concomitant disease resulting in a 13% increase in the risk of death. Those with the lowest household income had nearly three times the chance of dying as those with the greatest.
These elements could have played a role. However, the researchers concluded, “This study shows an association between oestrogen levels and COVID-19 death. Consequently, drugs increasing oestrogen levels may have a role in therapeutic efforts to alleviate COVID-19 severity in postmenopausal women and could be studied in randomised control trials.”
(With inputs from agencies)
