No credible evidence for links between 2D:4D and COVID-19 outcomes: A probabilistic perspective on digit ratio, ACE variants, and national case fatalities
Jones,Alex L. Jaeger,Bastian Schild,Christoph
Jones,Alex L.
Jaeger,Bastian
Schild,Christoph
Abstract
Research into COVID-19 susceptibility and outcomes are critical, but claims must be carefully evaluated to inform policy decisions. In a recent series of articles, Manning and Fink [1–3] use national-level data to describe associations between case-fatality ratios and male and female finger ratios (2D:4D), a suggested measure of prenatal androgen exposure, as well as angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) allele and genotype frequencies. The authors suggest that 2D:4D is linked with ACE variant prevalence, and that higher male 2D:4D is associated with higher case fatality ratios, and point to 2D:4D as a useful prognostic measure for COVID-19 susceptibility. A critical review and robust Bayesian analysis of the hypothesis is described here, finding no conclusive evidence of COVID-19 mortality and 2D:4D, nor associations between 2D:4D and ACE1 allele or ACE2 genotype frequency. This absence of evidence is present for data taken from the second wave of COVID-19 in October 2020. Problematic theoretical grounding, individual-level conclusions drawn from national-level data, and issues with statistical inference in the original articles are discussed. Taken together, the current data offer no clear utility of 2D:4D in determining COVID-19 outcomes.
Description
Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Keywords
2D/4D, 2D:4D, 2ND, ABILITY, ACE, ANDROGEN, Bayesian inference, COVID-19, Digit ratio, METAANALYSIS, PRENATAL TESTOSTERONE, SUCCESS, SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Citation
Jones, A L, Jaeger, B & Schild, C 2021, 'No credible evidence for links between 2D:4D and COVID-19 outcomes : A probabilistic perspective on digit ratio, ACE variants, and national case fatalities', Early Human Development, vol. 152, 105272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2020.105272
License
info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess