COVID-19 infection may reduce serum testosterone levels and increase the risk of erectile dysfunction: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection may affect serum hormones levels and male sexual function. This study aims to provide evidence for the causal relationship between COVID-19 infection, serum testosterone levels and the risk of erectile dysfunction (ED) using a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach.

Materials and methods

Summary-level data for serum testosterone levels (199,569 samples and 12,321,875 single nucleotide polymorphisms [SNPs]) were obtained from Rebecca's study, while data for ED (6,175 cases and 217,630 controls) were sourced from Bovijn's study. Genetic variations linked to COVID-19 were used as instrumental variables (IVs) in meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) involving 6,406 cases and 902,088 controls from

SUBMITTER: Wang T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11885915 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature