Sex differences in COVID-19 fatality rate and risk of death: An analysis in 73 countries, 2020-2021

Abstract

There is a worrying lack of epidemiological data on the sex differential in COVID-19 fatality rates. We examined the Global Health 50/50 tracks of sex-disaggregated infection and mortality COVID-19 data from 73 countries through May 20, 2021. We compared the infection fatality rate (IFR) in men vs. women and risk of death from COVID-19 by country. Of all cases in 73 countries, 42,933,757 were in women and 40,187,894 in men; 1,274,663 men and 971,899 women died. The IFR was higher in males (3.17%) than in women (2.26%). The IFR in males vs. females varied from country to country, and it was higher in men in Brazil, Yemen,

Sex-differences in COVID-19 diagnosis, risk factors and disease comorbidities: A large US-based cohort study

“…Males (vs. females) patients in our study sample were significantly older with higher proportion aged 60–69, and >70-years. Previously, it was found that mortality and fatality rates, which increase with age, are paramount in men over 50 years old ( 5 , 15 ). Most COVID-19 deaths occurred in patients over the age of 50, and the sex-dependent risk of poor outcomes increased with age.…”

“…As of May 20, 2021 and based on available sex-disaggregated data from the Global Health 50/50 investigators, the infection fatality rate (IFR) in males vs. females showed higher fatality rates in men, and this was also the case in other countries like Brazil, Yemen, Mexico, Scotland, and Guatemala. In total, men had significant higher odds of death from COVID-19 disease in 49 countries, when compared to women ( 15 ). As of May 2022, the latest data from the US showed a higher proportion of deceased male patients from COVID-19 vs. females (55% males and 45% females).…”

Men with COVID-19 die. Women survive…at any age!

“…Epidemiological studies on COVID-19 patients taken as a whole have shown that men are more susceptible than women to hospitalization and severe disease [2] , [3] . We have recently analyzed the report of the Italian National Institute of Health on SARS-CoV-2 positive cases considering age, sex and fatality index, reporting that men showed a fatality index significantly higher than that of women (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.36–1.40, P < 0.0001), without any difference in infection rate [4] , [5] .…”

Relationship between anthropometric and body composition parameters and anti-SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG titers in females vaccinated against COVID-19 according to the heterologous vaccination course: A cohort study

“…With an increasing number of new cases and deaths, it has become clear that sex (understood as biological characteristics) plays an essential role in the epidemiology of COVID-19. According to global COVID-19 statistics, SARS-CoV-2 has affected a disproportionally higher number of males: although the morbidity rate was similar between sexes (slightly higher in men), the mortality rate was much higher among males [ 44 ].…”