Menopausal Hormone Therapy and the Course of COVID-19

   Aim: To assess the symptoms and severity of the coronavirus infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus in peri- and postmenopausal patients on the background of various types of MHT (oral and transdermal) and in its absence.

   Design: a retrospective, cohort study.

   Materials and methods. The study included 93 postmenopausal patients who had an infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, against the background of oral MHT - group 1, transdermal MHT - group 2 at standard and low doses, without MHT - group 3 comparison. A survey of patients was conducted, including information about the symptoms, severity of the course and ongoing therapy for COVID-19.

   Results. Duration of COVID-19 illness, as well as the frequency of various symptoms of the disease in patients (cough, rhinitis, sore throat, weakness, muscle pain, fever, diarrhea, nausea, headaches) not using MHT and using various forms of MHT (oral and transdermal) did not differ significantly. When patients using oral and transdermal MHT were combined into one group and compared with the group not taking MHT, it was found that severe COVID-19 was significantly more common in the group not taking MHT.

   Conclusions. In our study, individuals who took MHT had a significantly significantly milder course of coronavirus infection compared to women who did not use MHT. More research is needed to find protective mechanisms of sex steroids against coronavirus infection in order to continue to be ready to localize and manage this infection as soon as possible.

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