Journal Article

The Effect of COVID-19 on Arterial Stiffness and Inflammation: A Longitudinal Prospective Study

Merheb, Alexander, Baissary, Jhony, Foster, Theresa, Atieh, Ornina, Koberssy, Ziad, Durieux, Jared C., Ailstock, Kate, Funderburg, Nicholas T., Rodgers, Michael A., Daher, Joviane, Labbato, Danielle, McComsey, Grace A.

2025

Overview

Data are limited for assessing the effect of COVID infection on endothelial function, pre- and post-pandemic. The objective of this study was to assess changes in pre-pandemic cardiovascular parameters after COVID-19 infection. This prospective cohort study used EndoPAT2000 Itamar Medical Ltd., Caesarea, Israel, to measure the augmentation index (AI; arterial elasticity) and reactive hyperemic index (RHI; endothelial function). Markers of endothelial function, inflammation, and gut integrity were collected at pre- and post-pandemic visits. COVID-negative and COVID-positive participants were matched on pre-pandemic covariates, and AI ≥ 5.0 was defined as having worse AI. Among the 156 participants, 50% had documented COVID-19 infection. Groups were balanced (p > 0.05) on pre-pandemic characteristics. Increases in oxLDL (p = 0.03) were observed in the COVID-positive group, and COVID infection had a negative effect on inflammatory markers (sVCAM-1, sTNF-RI, sTNF-RII, sCD14) and gut integrity (I-FABP, BDG) compared to COVID-negative participants (p < 0.05). There was a 16.7% (p = 0.02) increase in the proportion of COVID-positive participants with AI ≥ 5.0, without a significant change (p = 0.09) among the COVID-negative group. COVID-positive status, female sex, and higher IL-6 and sCD163 were associated (p < 0.05) with an increase in having worse AI. COVID infection is independently associated with arterial stiffness. For COVID survivors, female sex and higher markers of inflammation were associated with arterial stiffness.

• Publisher: MDPI AG,MDPI
• Subject: Adult / Aged / arterial stiffness / Arteries / Biomarkers / Biomarkers - blood / Blood pressure / Cohort analysis / COVID-19 / COVID-19 - complications / COVID-19 - physiopathology / Disease transmission / endothelial function / Endothelium / Enzymes / Fatty acid-binding protein / FDA approval / Female / gut integrity / Health aspects / Hemoglobin / Humans / Infection / Infections / Inflammation / Inflammation - physiopathology / Lipoproteins / Lipoproteins, LDL - blood / Long COVID / Longitudinal Studies / Male / Medical research / Medicine, Experimental / metabolic markers / Metabolism / Middle Aged / Pandemics / Physiological aspects / Prospective Studies / Proteins / SARS-CoV-2 / Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 / Vascular Stiffness