Coronavirus update: Researchers propose a link between menopause and COVID-19 risk

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The rationale behind the coronavirus study was to explore whether the female hormone oestrogen had a protective effect on COVID-19 symptom severity. This was based on the observation that “men and older women have been shown to be at higher risk of adverse COVID-19 outcomes”.

Scientists gathered information from the COVID Symptom Study – developed by King’s College London and Zoe Global Limited – launched on March 24, 2020.

The database provides records of self-reported symptoms of COVID-19 by the general public.

For this pre-print paper (meaning it is yet to be peer reviewed), data was obtained between May 7 to June 15.

The rate of symptom-based predicted COVID-19, tested COVID-19, and disease severity were looked at in terms of menopausal status.

Disease severity was measured based on the requirement for hospital attendance or respiratory support.

In addition, the impact of the combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP) was looked at in regards to its effects on COVID-19 symptoms, positive COVID tests and severity of disease.

The use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in menopausal women was also examined.

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There were 152,637 women included in the study who had menopausal status; 295,689 women were on the pill and 151,193 were on HRT.

“Analyses were adjusted for age, smoking and BMI,” commented the researchers.

The results

The results found that post-menopausal women, aged 40-60 years old, “had a higher rate of predicted COVID-19”.

This means that older women were more likely to report COVID-19 symptoms in the COVID Symptom Study.

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Moreover, this trend was “consistent” with positive COVID-19 test results and disease severity for post-menopausal women.

Women aged 18 to 45 years old, who were taking the pill, had a “significantly lower” number of self-reported COVID-19 symptoms.

Those in this age group who were on the pill also had lower hospital attendance than post-menopausal women.

Post-menopausal women who were taking HRT “did not exhibit consistent associations”.

This means that there was mixed data on whether HRT provided some protection against COVID infections and severity.

However, the researchers concluded their findings support the notion that oestrogen has a “protective effect” from COVID-19 symptoms and severity.

This is based on the “positive association between predicted COVID-19 and menopausal status” alongside a “negative association with COCP use”.

In regards to the HRT data, the researchers said there was a “lack of data” on HRT type, route of administration, duration of treatment, and potential co-morbidities.

It is for this reason that the team have decided that the positive associations of HRT usage and COVID-19 cases and severity should be “considered with caution”.

As women enter the menopause, oestrogen levels decline, which has now been linked to higher COVID-19 infections and more severe disease outcomes.

The combined pill contains a synthetic version of oestrogen, confirmed LloydsPharmacy.

As the use of the pill has been shown to be linked to lower levels of COVID-19 infections and less severe disease outcomes, the researchers have concluded that oestrogen really does play a part in protective health.

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