The objectives of the study are the following:
Primary objectives:
1. to measure endocrine function tests in patients affected by COVID-19, in order to evaluate whether SARs-CoV-2 causes endocrine alterations and whether endocrine diseases/dysfunctions correlate with the severity of SARs-CoV-2 infection and mortality.
2. to evaluate whether genetic variants in the sex-steroid or vitamin D (VDR) nuclear receptors or ACE are more prevalent in patients with SARs-CoV-2 infection than controls.
3. to evaluate whether vitamin D supplementation in subjects with vitamin D deficiency may influence the outcome of SARs-CoV-2 infection
4. To correlate the influence of overweight/obesity/neck circumference with the evolution of SARs-CoV-2 infection
Secondary objectives:
Correlate the endocrine function tests with patients' age, disease's outcome, markers of inflammation.
The identification of endocrine conditions associated with a worse outcome of SARs-CoV-2 infection, would identify significant risk factors to be reduced/prevented in these patients. For example, if endocrine patients will result more fragile in case of infection, we could systematically screen some parameters and early treat associated defects in order improve the outcome of SARs-CoV-2 infection.
