Researchers from a private university in the Principality of Liechtenstein conducted a study to understand how COVID-19 affected vital signs differently in men and women. Their findings indicate that men who contracted the virus showed a more noticeable rise in skin temperature, breathing rate, and heart rate compared with women. The results were published in the journal PLOS ONE, contributing to the growing body of evidence on sex-based differences in the clinical presentation of COVID-19.
The study tracked 1,163 participants, among whom 127 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. All participants wore Ava medical devices on their wrists, which continuously captured data on body temperature, heart rate, respiration, and other physiological indicators. By analyzing this sensor-based data, the researchers aimed to identify nuanced differences in how COVID-19 manifests across genders, going beyond self-reported symptoms to objective physiological measures.
One key observation was that infected men tended to have higher body temperatures, faster respiratory rates, and elevated heart rates than infected women. In addition, men showed a more pronounced reduction in heart rate variability, an indicator of the autonomic nervous system’s ability to adapt to varying demands. A lower heart rate variability can reflect the body’s reduced capacity to maintain stable cardiovascular control, which may be associated with greater fatigue and stress on the heart during infection.
Heart rate variability is not a fixed value; it fluctuates as the cardiovascular system continually adjusts to metabolic needs, physical activity, and stress. When variability parameters decline, it is often interpreted as signs of fatigue or diminished cardiac tone, suggesting that the heart is working harder to meet the body’s demands during illness. This insight helps clinicians understand how men and women might experience the same infection in different ways at a physiological level.
Beyond the acute phase, the data indicate that women may experience more persistent breathing difficulties and fatigue after the initial illness subsides. These observations point to potential sex-specific trajectories in recovery, underscoring the importance of tailored follow-up and rehabilitation strategies to support long-term health outcomes for both men and women recovering from COVID-19.
While the study sheds light on gender-related physiological responses to the virus, it also invites cautious interpretation. The use of wearable sensors offers objective measurements but may not capture all variables that influence disease presentation, such as preexisting conditions, lifestyle factors, or genetic differences. Further research with diverse populations and longer follow-up is needed to confirm these patterns and to translate them into practical clinical guidance for patients, healthcare providers, and public health policy.