“Findings follow on from research published earlier this year which explored Covid-19 severity and its relation low testosterone and possibly high oestrogen in both men and women,” said Swansea University.
A study by Swansea University has said that the finger length on a person’s left and right hand could help researchers determine how severe their COVID-19 symptoms could get.
During the pandemic, experts in the UK began to notice that majority of the patients dying or having severe COVID-19 symptoms were elderly patients and males.
From this they started to investigate why these individuals were more at risk and through research they believe that hospitalisation is linked to low and declining levels of testosterone.
Studies showed that there was testosterone-linked information in the relative lengths of fingers, which is known as the digit ratios.
“In comparison to women, men have longer 5th (little) and 4th (ring) fingers relative to the 3rd (middle) and 2nd (index) digits,” said Swansea University.
“These digit ratios (2D:4D and 3D:5D) often differ in right and left hands and such differences may contain information with regard to testosterone and Covid-19 severity.”
Professor John Manning of the Applied Sports, Technology, Exercise and Medicine research team from the Medical University of Lodz in Poland said that more research needs to be done but that things so far are promising.
“It is hoped that an understanding of such associations may lead to an increase in our ability to accurately identify at-risk individuals.”
“Our research is helping to add to an understanding of severe Covid-19. Hospitalization is most common in the elderly and in men but there are many elderly men who experience mild Covid-19 symptoms.”
Professor Manning said that females are not excluded out of this study but that future research could determine the same results in females and people of all ages.
“Conversely, youth and the female gender do not guarantee mild symptoms of the disease. Our research may help to identify those at greatest risk of hospitalization across age groups.”
