Background: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is common. While topical minoxidil remains the only FDA-approved therapeutic for AGA, its efficacy is limited in stimulating clinically significant hair regrowth over the longer term. Oral minoxidil, which is used off-label, is a promising alternative; however, its effectiveness and underlying mechanisms warrant further investigation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The humans have been disproportionately affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The novel coronavirus or the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV2) causing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has spread across the globe. Androgens have been suggested to have a role in COVID-19 pathogenesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: P.1 lineage (Gamma) was first described in the State of Amazonas, northern Brazil, in the end of 2020, and has emerged as a very important variant of concern (VOC) of SARS-CoV-2 worldwide. P.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRosacea is a chronic cutaneous disorder affecting primarily the face, characterized by erythema, transient or persistent, telangiectasia, and inflammatory lesions including papulo-pustules and swelling. The essential component of the disease is the persistent erythema of facial skin. Episodes of flushing (acute-subacute intermittent vasodilation) are common.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground The role of androgens on COVID-19 is well established. Proxalutamide is a second-generation, non-steroidal antiandrogen (NSAA) with the highest antiandrogen potency among NSAAs and concurrent regulation of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression and inflammatory response. Proxalutamide has been demonstrated to be effective to prevent hospitalizations in early COVID-19 in randomized clinical trials (RCTs).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin Exp Emerg Med
September 2021
Antiandrogens have demonstrated a protective effect for COVOD-19 patients in observational and interventional studies. The goal of this study was to determine if proxalutamide, an androgen receptor antagonist, could be an effective treatment for men with COVID-19 in an outpatient setting. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted at two outpatient centers (Brasilia, Brazil).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe third outbreak of coronavirus in the form of the COVID-19 infection started in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The early and rapid spread of this infection across borders can be largely attributed to international air travel that has become a part of modern globalization. In this article, we analyze the spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) along the routes of international travel, both by air and by sea.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Minoxidil is a widely used over-the-counter topical treatment for hair loss. The response rate for topical minoxidil is relatively low. Minoxidil is a pro-drug, converted to its active form, minoxidil sulfate, by SULT1A1 enzymes located in the scalp.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common and chronic inflammatory skin disease that erupts periodically. Although the negative impact of the disorder on overall quality of life has been well established, new treatments for AD are still needed. Various studies have reported on cannabidiol's effectiveness in relieving pain and easing inflammation while not presenting major health risks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground While public health strategies to contain the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are primarily focused on social distancing and isolation, emerging evidence suggest that in some regions social isolation failed to lead to further decrease in the number of COVID-19 deaths in the long run. This apparent paradox was particularly observed in the northern region of Brazil, in the state of Amazonas. We hypothesized that the emergence of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mutations, leading to more transmissible and pathogenic variants, could explain the lack of further reductions in COVID-19 new cases and related deaths in some regions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground and objective Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cell entry and subsequent infectivity are mediated by androgens and the androgen receptors through the regulation of transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMPRSS2). Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) predisposes males to severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease, while the use of 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors (5ARis) and androgen receptor antagonists reduce COVID-19 disease severity. In this study, we aimed to determine the potential benefit of dutasteride, a commonly used broad and potent 5ARi, as a treatment for COVID-19.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA severe case of COVID-19 was observed in an otherwise healthy 28-year-old man who had taken oxandrolone 40 mg/day as an anabolic steroid. The patient had been taking oxandrolone for enhanced bodybuilding 30 days prior to presenting to an outpatient clinic with COVID-19 symptoms. The patient reported that his symptoms have rapidly worsened over the course of 4 days prior to presenting at the clinic.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground The entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into type II pneumocytes is dependent on a modification of viral spike proteins by transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) expressed on the surface of human cells. TMPRSS2 is regulated by the androgen receptor, hence, SARS-CoV-2 infectivity is indirectly dependent on androgenic status and phenotype. Previously, we have reported that men affected by androgenetic alopecia (AGA) are overrepresented in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction A major barrier for successful therapeutic approaches for COVID-19 is the inability to diagnose COVID-19 during the viral replication stage, when drugs with potential antiviral activity could demonstrate efficacy and preclude progression to more severe stages. Reasons that hamper an earlier diagnosis of COVID-19 include the unspecific and mild symptoms during the first stage, the delay in the diagnosis and specific management caused by the requirement of a real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for SARS-CoV-2 for the diagnosis of COVID-19, and the insufficient sensitivity of the RT-PCR-SARS-CoV-2, converse to what is recommended for a screening test during an outbreak. More sensitive and earlier diagnostic tools for COVID-19 should be unraveled as a key strategy for a breakthrough change in the disease course and response to specific therapies, particularly those that target the blockage of viral shedding.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcne vulgaris (AV) is the most common skin condition affecting adolescents, most likely due to elevated androgen levels during puberty. Androgens stimulate and enlarge the sebaceous glands and keratinocytes, resulting in increased production of sebum and abnormal hyperproliferation of keratinocytes which lead to the formation of acne lesions. Current standard of care for AV includes topical therapies for mild cases and antibiotics or oral retinoids for severe cases.
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