‘Oestrogen may be why fewer women die from Covid-19’
R%#%)6).' hormone replacement therapy within six months of a RECORDED DIAGNOSIS OF #OVID was associated with a reduction in mortality from the infectious disease among women, finds a study indicating the role of oestrogen in fighting the deadly virus.
While men and women are EQUALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE 3ARS #O6 virus, men tend to have more severe infections and have higher rates of hospitalisation and mortality.
A recent review of sex differences IN #OVID USING DATA FROM countries, found mortality in men WAS TIMES HIGHER THAN IN WOMEN Younger women or those with higher oestrogen levels are less
LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE #OVID complications.
Earlier studies have also shown that women have faster and greater immune responses to viral infections.
Researchers have observed similar data in previous pandemics, INCLUDING THE 3ARS #O6 3EVERE !CUTE Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus) AND -%23 #O6 -IDDLE %AST Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus) outbreaks.
Although the reason for these sex differences is uncertain, limited recent observational data suggest that oestrogen may reduce the SEVERITY OF #OVID DISEASE
The new study, led by researchers at the University of Southampton in the UK, showed that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) was ASSOCIATED WITH A REDUCTION IN ALL CAUSE MORTALITY IN #OVID
HRT is a medication to replace the oestrogen that the human body stops making during menopause.
The finding suggests that oestrogen may well contribute to a protective effect against Covid severity.
This may explain why fewer women compared to men have been hospitalised, admitted to intensive CARE OR DIED DUE TO #OVID DURING the pandemic.
“This study supports the theory that oestrogen may offer some PROTECTION AGAINST SEVERE #OVID v said Christopher Wilcox from the university.
The study, published by Oxford University Press in the journal Family Practice, investigated the association between hormone replacement therapy or combined oral contraception use and the likelihood of death in women with #OVID
Researchers investigated combined oral contraception, which contains oestrogen because some recent observational data suggests that women taking oral contraceptives have a lower risk of ACQUIRING #OVID
They identified a group of
WOMEN OVER IN %NGLAND 4HERE WERE #OVID cases within the cohort.
Wilcox noted that the study provides “reassurance to patients and clinicians that there is no indication to stop hormone replacement therapy because of the pandemic”.
This comes even as Britain is experiencing an acute shortage of HRT, which is used by about one million women in the UK, owing to an increase in demand.