COVID-19 complications in males and females: recent developments

AIM: To provide a comprehensive understanding of the varying effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection based on sex. METHODS: A PubMed search of 470 primary articles was performed, with inclusion based on relevance (sex differences discussed in the target COVID population) and redundancy. PubMed was queried based on title for the keywords “SEX” and “COVID” or “SARS” between 2020 and 2022. RESULTS: For COVID-19, males have increased risk for infectivity and intensive care unit admission and worse overall outcomes compared with females. Genetic predispositions, sex hormones, immune system responses and non-biological causes all contribute to the disparity in COVID-19 responses between the sexes. COVID-19 sex-related determinants of morbidity and mortality remain unclear. CONCLUSIONS: Male sex is a risk factor for several overall worse outcomes related to COVID-19. Investigating the sex impact of COVID-19 is an important part of understanding the behavior of the disease. Future work is needed to further explore these relationships and optimize the management of COVID-19 patients based on sex.