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Endocrine Abstracts (2022) 81 S17.3 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.81.S17.3

ECE2022 Symposia Infections and endocrinology (3 abstracts)

Endocrine and metabolic aspects of COVID-19

Michal Kršek


Department of Internal Medicine 3, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, General University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic


Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) started to quickly spread worldwide in the end of 2019 and was declared by the WHO a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Prevailing signs and symptoms of COVID-19 comprise many organ systems and are very complex and variable and also even unpredictable and lead to tremendous increase in morbidity and mortality. Recently, there has been increasing evidence that COVID-19 affects in a complex way also the endocrine system. Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays a crucial role in SARS-CoV-2 infection and pathogenesis. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein is crucial for the entry of the virus into the cells. However, it seems that overexpression of ACE2, which takes place also during the use of ACEs inhibitors, is not connected with higher susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. It is of note that the balance between ACE1 and ACE2 actions is disturbed during COVID-19 which favours proinflammatory pathways leading to tissue damage with that of lung tissue being critical for the course and prognosis of COVID-19. Thyroid gland disorders are frequently reported in relationship with COVID-19. During the severe course of COVID-19, the changes compatible with non-thyroidal illness syndrome are common. This, however, is a consequence of severe/critical illness rather than direct causal effect of COVID-19. Amongst thyroid disorders reported and studied in connection with either COVID-19 or vaccination, we can find autoimmune thyroid (AITD) disease manifestation and subacute thyroiditis. Several cases of adrenal insufficiency have been reported during or following COVID-19. These cases, however, are very likely a consequence of COVID-19 comorbidities such as antiphospholipide syndrome. It is necessary to point out that normal function of hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis is necessary for the survival of patients mainly with severe course of the disease and proper replacement regimens in patients with adrenal insufficiency have to be introduced. Other conditions also possibly related to COVID-19 will be mentioned, mainly diabetes and obesity.

Volume 81

European Congress of Endocrinology 2022

Milan, Italy
21 May 2022 - 24 May 2022

European Society of Endocrinology 

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