Can touching a barbell in the gym get you sick with the coronavirus?

[Michael Scally MD]

[OA] What does androgenetic alopecia have to do with COVID-19?

Dear Editor

In late 2019, a novel coronavirus, subsequently named SARS‐CoV‐2 (COVID‐19), was first reported in Hubei province in China. Since it was first reported, a worldwide pandemic has ensued affecting more than 450 000 individuals as of March 2020. In the midst of the pandemic, epidemiological reports unveiled a disproportionate low rate of severe cases among adult females compared to adult males, 42% and 58%, respectively.1 Similarly, the rate of severe cases among pre‐pubescent children was exceptionally low at 0.6%.1 An explanation for the skewed prevalence of severe COVID‐19 infection in adult males has yet to be elucidated.

…

Goren A, McCoy J, Wambier CG, et al. What does androgenetic alopecia have to do with COVID-19? An insight into a potential new therapy [published online ahead of print, 2020 Apr 1]. Dermatol Ther. 2020;e13365. doi:10.1111/dth.13365 Error - Cookies Turned Off

[OA] Kroumpouzos G. Effects of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors on lung function: a reason for discontinuation during COVID-19 pandemic? [published online ahead of print, 2020 May 7]. Dermatol Ther. 2020;e13535. doi:10.1111/dth.13535 Error - Cookies Turned Off

 

[Jankauskas]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

TMPRSS2 and COVID-19: Serendipity or Opportunity For Intervention?

TMPRSS2 is both the most frequently altered gene in primary prostate cancer and a critical factor enabling cellular infection by coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. The modulation of its expression by sex steroids could contribute to the male predominance of severe infections and given that TMPRSS2 has no known indispensable functions, and inhibitors are available, it is an appealing target for prevention or treatment of respiratory viral infections.

Stopsack KH, Mucci LA, Antonarakis ES, Nelson PS, Kantoff PW. TMPRSS2 and COVID-19: Serendipity or opportunity for intervention? Cancer Discovery 2020:CD-20-0451. TMPRSS2 and COVID-19: Serendipity or opportunity for intervention?

The global COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has led to over 1,400,000 diagnosed cases and over 80,000 reported deaths as of April 8, 2020. These epidemiological statistics represent the tip of the iceberg, given ongoing significant transmission, high rates of subclinical infection, insufficient testing in multiple communities, and potential differences in attribution of cause of death in infected patients.

The global research community has coalesced on multiple fronts to understand the mechanisms of infection and the heterogeneity in the virulence of SARS-CoV-2, as well as the constellation of symptoms and risk factors for subsequent mortality.

One key discovery in understanding the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 infection involves the role of the transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2), a cell surface protein that is expressed by epithelial cells of specific tissues including those in the aerodigestive tract. As one of the serendipities of science, many of the insights related to TMPRSS2 have come from cancer research.

This overview summarizes the history of the connection of TMPRSS2 with coronaviruses as well as influenza viruses, provides insights derived from cancer research, and integrates what is known (and not known) concerning the potential roles of TMPRSS2 as a target for intervention or prevention of COVID-19.

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

From virtually the moment COVID-19 came onto the scene late last year, conspiracy theories about the disastrous illness have also gone viral. COVID truthers pushed hoaxes claiming Bill Gates was behind the illness, and that a future vaccine would actually be part of a secret microchipping plot.

But “Plandemic,” a debunked, documentary-style video, exploded in popularity shortly after its release this month, becoming nearly unavoidable on Facebook—at least until the platform took steps to remove it. The video, and others in its genre, first found popularity through a network of fringe social-media groups that promote ideas like QAnon, the bizarre conspiracy that accuses President Donald Trump’s foes of Satanic pedophilia and/or cannibalism.

Grotesquely weird conspiracy theories like QAnon are probably off-putting to most people who stumble upon them. But the newly popular “Plandemic”-style videos are minting a new set of conspiracy-curious Americans amid the despair of coronavirus isolation, easing them into contact with the worst of the web.

“Plandemic,” an error-ridden video starring oft-debunked scientist Dr. Judy Mikovits, racked up millions of views before it was banned by platforms like Facebook and YouTube earlier this month. (“Suggesting that wearing a mask can make you sick could lead to imminent harm, so we’re removing the video,” Facebook previously said in a statement.) But the bans are only partially effective. A cursory search on Monday turned up live links all over Facebook, and the video’s sudden surge to virality came thanks in part to a network of existing conspiracy pages.

Facebook did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.

...

But “Plandemic” and other COVID-skeptical videos aren’t just bubbling up from the conspiratorial web with bogus suggestions that, for instance, protective masks are somehow dangerous. They’re also luring unsuspecting viewers into the depths of the far-right abyss.

 

[ergomaniac]

Can nicotine help protect against covid 19?



From the link above.
Low incidence of daily active tobacco smoking in patients with symptomatic COVID-19 - Article (Preprint v3) | Qeios

And there's other articles.

I found this very interesting. Back at the end of January and early February, my girl got sick with the "flu" twice, pretty much back to back. She felt fatigue, body aches, a fever that approached 102, dry cough, and at the end of the second time, lost her voice. We both think it's possible she had covid. The second time she went to see a doctor who was surprised and concerned about the double flu. I took care her, we live together, but neither time did I get sick, at all.
I used to dip tobacco ocasionally, but found a product called Zyn. Its nicotine salt, in a pouch with flavor and sweeter. I use them almost daily. Yes, I'm a nicotine addict. But I can stop anytime I want to, I swear . They come 3 and 6mg per pouch and and pack more of a buzz than dipping. So I wondered.

France has banned online sales of nicotine substitutes after a study showed smokers are less likely to be admitted for COVID-19

• France has banned online sales of nicotine substitutes, and limited sales in pharmacies.
• The idea is to prevent a run on nicotine replacements, after a widely reported study from a Paris hospital found smokers were less likely to be admitted to hospital with COVID-19.
• The theory is that nicotine, which attaches to cell receptors, blocks the virus from entering those cells.
• French researchers plan to test nicotine patches on patients and health workers.

 

[ergomaniac]

View attachment 129984

64% are concerned about the emergence of "murder hornets".
I guess that's for perspective.

 

[MisterSuperGod]

View attachment 129984

A kind of devil's advocate/just being silly because i'm bored retort to your left hand column percentage pic...

86% of people would rather stay at home and collect a paycheck for doing nothing.

85% of people don't have school aged children.

91% of people don't like organized sports.

85% of people rarely get sick enough to require treatment.

93% of people don't like being near other people/strangers.

81% of people will never like being near other people/strangers and aren't concerned what happens to the economy as long as they keep receiving unemployment.

 

[Jankauskas]

A kind of devil's advocate/just being silly because i'm bored retort to your left hand column percentage pic...

86% of people would rather stay at home and collect a paycheck for doing nothing.

85% of people don't have school aged children.

91% of people don't like organized sports.

85% of people rarely get sick enough to require treatment.

93% of people don't like being near other people/strangers.

81% of people will never like being near other people/strangers and aren't concerned what happens to the economy as long as they keep receiving unemployment.

Have personally heard from several people that they are happy with the current situation, some that like you said are home doing nothing but smoking weed and getting drunk all day, while others are happy with working from home because they don’t have to drive to the office anymore and/or are antisocial or socially anxious.

 

[Michael Scally MD]

[OA] The Majority of Male Patients With COVID-19 Present Low Testosterone Levels on Admission to Intensive Care

Background. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to spread worldwide and pose a major public health burden. There is increasing evidence that men are more likely to die from SARS-CoV-2 infection than women. However, underlying factors that mediate the observed sex bias in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain unknown.

Methods. In this retrospective cohort, we included COVID-19 patients who were admitted to an Intensive Care Unit at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany. We obtained demographic data of all patients who were discharged or had died by 29th April 2020. We systematically analyzed sex hormones as well as cytokine and chemokine responses in male and female patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections upon hospital admission. We used uni- and multivariable linear regression methods to identify potential risk factors for disease severity in males and females.

Findings. All enrolled patients (n=45; n=35 males and n=10 females) presented comorbidities with hypertension being the most common (45.7% in males; 40% in females), followed by cancer (35% in males; 40% in females), obesity (34.3% in males and 30% in females), type II diabetes (25.7% in males and 20% in females) and chronic heart diseases (8.6% in males and 0% in females). We detected that the vast majority of male COVID-19 patients present low testosterone (68.6%) and low dihydrotestosterone (48.6%) levels. In contrast, most female COVID-19 patients have elevated testosterone levels (60%) without alterations in dihydrotestosterone levels. Both, female and male COVID-19 patients may present elevated estradiol levels (45.7% in males and 40% in females). Disease severity defined by SOFA score correlates with elevated cytokine responses (e.g. IL-6) in males and IL-2 in females. In male COVID-19 patients, testosterone levels negatively correlate with inflammatory IL-2 and IFN-γ, whereas estradiol levels positively correlate with the inflammatory cytokine IL-6. Vice versa, in female COVID-19 patients, testosterone levels positively correlate with inflammatory cytokines (e.g. IL-6).

Interpretation. We here show that critically ill male COVID-19 patients suffer from severe testosterone and dihydrotestosterone deficiencies. Both androgens are required to mount antiviral immune responses to combat infection in males.

Schroeder M, Tuku B, Jarczak D, et al. The majority of male patients with COVID-19 present low testosterone levels on admission to Intensive Care in Hamburg, Germany: a retrospective cohort study. medRxiv 2020:2020.05.07.20073817. The majority of male patients with COVID-19 present low testosterone levels on admission to Intensive Care in Hamburg, Germany: a retrospective cohort study.

 

[Human_backhoe]

Male coronavirus patients with low testosterone levels are MORE likely to die from COVID-19 | Daily Mail Online

Nice to see it in the papers

 

[Jankauskas]

Male coronavirus patients with low testosterone levels are MORE likely to die from COVID-19 | Daily Mail Online

Nice to see it in the papers

Well, time to do 1 gram of test

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

What you need to know

· Interpreting the result of a test for covid-19 depends on two things: the accuracy of the test, and the pre-test probability or estimated risk of disease before testing

· A positive RT-PCR test for covid-19 test has more weight than a negative test because of the test’s high specificity but moderate sensitivity

· A single negative covid-19 test should not be used as a rule-out in patients with strongly suggestive symptoms

· Clinicians should share information with patients about the accuracy of covid-19 tests

Across the world there is a clamour for covid-19 testing, with Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organization, encouraging countries to “test, test, test.”1 The availability of the complete genome of covid-19 early in the epidemic facilitated development of tests to detect viral RNA.2 Multiple assays with different gene targets have been developed using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).3 These viral RNA tests use samples usually obtained from the respiratory tract by nasopharyngeal swab, to detect current infections. Serology blood tests to detect antibodies indicating past infection are being developed; these will not be considered in depth in this article.

Testing for covid-19 enables infected individuals to be identified and isolated to reduce spread,4 allows contact tracing for exposed individuals,5 and provides knowledge of regional and national rates of infection to inform public health interventions. However, questions remain on how to apply test results to make optimal decisions about individual patients.

 

[Michael Scally MD]

[Thread] [Unreal] I’ve landed in Hong Kong after flying from Paris CDG, via London Heathrow. I now have to wait ~8 hours before I get my #COVID19 test results and thus have ample time to tweet about my experience. https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1260784481159442434.html

 

[Michael Scally MD]

[OA] The Effect of Messaging and Gender on Intentions to Wear a Face Covering to Slow down COVID-19 Transmission [Or, Men Are Fucking Ignorant]

Now that various countries are or will soon be moving towards relaxing shelter-in-place rules, it is important that people use a face covering, to avoid an exponential resurgence of the spreading of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Adherence to this measure will be made explicitly compulsory in many places.

However, since it is impossible to control each and every person in a country, it is important to complement governmental laws with behavioral interventions devised to impact people’s behavior beyond the force of law.

Here we report a pre-registered online experiment (N=2,459) using a heterogenous, although not representative, sample of people living in the USA, where we test the relative effect of messages highlighting that the coronavirus is a threat to “you” vs “your family” vs “your community” vs “your country” on self-reported intentions to wear a face covering.

Results show that focusing on “your community” promotes intentions to wear a face covering relative to the baseline; the trend is the same when comparing “your community” to the other conditions, but not significant. We also conducted pre-registered analyses of gender differences on intentions to wear a face covering.

We find that men less than women intend to wear a face covering, but this difference almost disappears in counties where wearing a face covering is mandatory. We also find that men less than women believe that they will be seriously affected by the coronavirus, and this partly mediates gender differences in intentions to wear a face covering (this is particularly ironic because official statistics actually show that men are affected by the COVID-19 more seriously than women).

Finally, we also find gender differences in self-reported negative emotions felt when wearing a face covering. Men more than women agree that wearing a face covering is shameful, not cool, a sign of weakness, and a stigma; and these gender differences also mediate gender differences in intentions to wear a face covering.

Capraro, Valerio, and Hélène Barcelo. 2020. “The Effect of Messaging and Gender on Intentions to Wear a Face Covering to Slow down COVID-19 Transmission.” PsyArXiv. May 11. https://psyarxiv.com/tg7vz

 

[Plate Smacker]

They should study prisons.
However, it wouldn't fit the narrative.
I work in a State Prison prison and they tested many facilities with help of National Guard.
Recent prison example:
786 positive, 624 negative.
Of the inmates that tested Positive for the virus, 80% showed NO SYMPTOMS.
Definitely not what the media wants to report.

Here is what else is happening, and to give an example of what is happening in the real world, and why the numbers are wrong.

So you work in a prison where ALL the inmates housed there have tested positive for COVID 19.
In the prison system we have inmates that are going to die soon from things like heart disease, ect. You know an inmate named Moore. Now Moore has been taken to the hospital offsite 3 times for heart issues. He's not changing his lifestyle habits so you know it's only a matter of time.
That day, Moore was his normal self. No symptoms. Doing his thing.
Your doing a security round and you find him unresponsive.
Medical comes, he has died from a heart attack.
You get an email the next day claiming COVID-19 has claimed the life of another inmate from your facility. The count goes up by 1 inmate.
Then your like "ahhha, that's why their numbers are up".
You know he was normal. No issues with symptoms. He just happened to have a heart attack while also being positive.

Even better. Jacob. He's know for trips to hospital because of diabetic seizures and other issues.
He has recovered from COVID-19 and made it back to your facility. That means he tested Negative and was sent back to you.
He dies from diabetes 3 weeks later.
You see an email again, COVID 19 has claimed another inmate.
That exact issue spurred a whole shit show on the Corrections Officers Members only Facebook page for the State. Mainly because people at the facility were questioning why Jacob was listed as COVID 19 death.

 

[Jankauskas]

They should study prisons.
However, it wouldn't fit the narrative.
I work in a State Prison prison and they tested many facilities with help of National Guard.
Recent prison example:
786 positive, 624 negative.
Of the inmates that tested Positive for the virus, 80% showed NO SYMPTOMS.

Here is what else is happening, and to give an example of what is happening in the real world, and why the numbers are wrong.

So you work in a prison where ALL the inmates housed there have tested positive for COVID 19.
In the prison system we have inmates that are going to die soon from things like heart disease, ect. You know an inmate named Moore. Now Moore has been taken to the hospital offsite 3 times for heart issues. He's not changing his lifestyle habits so you know it's only a matter of time.
That day, Moore was his normal self. No symptoms. Doing his thing.
Your doimg a security round and you find him unresponsive.
Medical comes, he has died from a heart attack.
You get an email the next day claiming COVID-19 has claimed the life of another inmate from your facility. The count goes up by 1 inmate.
Then your like "ahhha, that's why their numbers are up".
You know he was normal. No issues with symptoms. He just happened to have a heart attack while also being positive.

Plot twist: This was all a ploy and Moore is now in the Bahamas with 3 hookers enjoying the sun.

 

[master.on]

TMPRSS2 and COVID-19: Serendipity or Opportunity For Intervention?

TMPRSS2 is both the most frequently altered gene in primary prostate cancer and a critical factor enabling cellular infection by coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. The modulation of its expression by sex steroids could contribute to the male predominance of severe infections and given that TMPRSS2 has no known indispensable functions, and inhibitors are available, it is an appealing target for prevention or treatment of respiratory viral infections.

Stopsack KH, Mucci LA, Antonarakis ES, Nelson PS, Kantoff PW. TMPRSS2 and COVID-19: Serendipity or opportunity for intervention? Cancer Discovery 2020:CD-20-0451. TMPRSS2 and COVID-19: Serendipity or opportunity for intervention?

The global COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has led to over 1,400,000 diagnosed cases and over 80,000 reported deaths as of April 8, 2020. These epidemiological statistics represent the tip of the iceberg, given ongoing significant transmission, high rates of subclinical infection, insufficient testing in multiple communities, and potential differences in attribution of cause of death in infected patients.

The global research community has coalesced on multiple fronts to understand the mechanisms of infection and the heterogeneity in the virulence of SARS-CoV-2, as well as the constellation of symptoms and risk factors for subsequent mortality.

One key discovery in understanding the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 infection involves the role of the transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2), a cell surface protein that is expressed by epithelial cells of specific tissues including those in the aerodigestive tract. As one of the serendipities of science, many of the insights related to TMPRSS2 have come from cancer research.

This overview summarizes the history of the connection of TMPRSS2 with coronaviruses as well as influenza viruses, provides insights derived from cancer research, and integrates what is known (and not known) concerning the potential roles of TMPRSS2 as a target for intervention or prevention of COVID-19.

[OA] What does androgenetic alopecia have to do with COVID-19?

Dear Editor

In late 2019, a novel coronavirus, subsequently named SARS‐CoV‐2 (COVID‐19), was first reported in Hubei province in China. Since it was first reported, a worldwide pandemic has ensued affecting more than 450 000 individuals as of March 2020. In the midst of the pandemic, epidemiological reports unveiled a disproportionate low rate of severe cases among adult females compared to adult males, 42% and 58%, respectively.1 Similarly, the rate of severe cases among pre‐pubescent children was exceptionally low at 0.6%.1 An explanation for the skewed prevalence of severe COVID‐19 infection in adult males has yet to be elucidated.

…

Goren A, McCoy J, Wambier CG, et al. What does androgenetic alopecia have to do with COVID-19? An insight into a potential new therapy [published online ahead of print, 2020 Apr 1]. Dermatol Ther. 2020;e13365. doi:10.1111/dth.13365 Error - Cookies Turned Off

[OA] Kroumpouzos G. Effects of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors on lung function: a reason for discontinuation during COVID-19 pandemic? [published online ahead of print, 2020 May 7]. Dermatol Ther. 2020;e13535. doi:10.1111/dth.13535 Error - Cookies Turned Off

[OA] The Majority of Male Patients With COVID-19 Present Low Testosterone Levels on Admission to Intensive Care

Background. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to spread worldwide and pose a major public health burden. There is increasing evidence that men are more likely to die from SARS-CoV-2 infection than women. However, underlying factors that mediate the observed sex bias in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remain unknown.

Methods. In this retrospective cohort, we included COVID-19 patients who were admitted to an Intensive Care Unit at the University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany. We obtained demographic data of all patients who were discharged or had died by 29th April 2020. We systematically analyzed sex hormones as well as cytokine and chemokine responses in male and female patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections upon hospital admission. We used uni- and multivariable linear regression methods to identify potential risk factors for disease severity in males and females.

Findings. All enrolled patients (n=45; n=35 males and n=10 females) presented comorbidities with hypertension being the most common (45.7% in males; 40% in females), followed by cancer (35% in males; 40% in females), obesity (34.3% in males and 30% in females), type II diabetes (25.7% in males and 20% in females) and chronic heart diseases (8.6% in males and 0% in females). We detected that the vast majority of male COVID-19 patients present low testosterone (68.6%) and low dihydrotestosterone (48.6%) levels. In contrast, most female COVID-19 patients have elevated testosterone levels (60%) without alterations in dihydrotestosterone levels. Both, female and male COVID-19 patients may present elevated estradiol levels (45.7% in males and 40% in females). Disease severity defined by SOFA score correlates with elevated cytokine responses (e.g. IL-6) in males and IL-2 in females. In male COVID-19 patients, testosterone levels negatively correlate with inflammatory IL-2 and IFN-γ, whereas estradiol levels positively correlate with the inflammatory cytokine IL-6. Vice versa, in female COVID-19 patients, testosterone levels positively correlate with inflammatory cytokines (e.g. IL-6).

Interpretation. We here show that critically ill male COVID-19 patients suffer from severe testosterone and dihydrotestosterone deficiencies. Both androgens are required to mount antiviral immune responses to combat infection in males.

Schroeder M, Tuku B, Jarczak D, et al. The majority of male patients with COVID-19 present low testosterone levels on admission to Intensive Care in Hamburg, Germany: a retrospective cohort study. medRxiv 2020:2020.05.07.20073817. The majority of male patients with COVID-19 present low testosterone levels on admission to Intensive Care in Hamburg, Germany: a retrospective cohort study.

Would you ever comment some of the studies you post?
IMO most debilitating diseases lower testosterone. While corona has been found to attack the testes in some rare cases, that's not that common.
Chicken and egg.

 

[Michael Scally MD]