The SARS-CoV-19 pandemic has highlighted numerous health impacts, particularly on the cardiovascular system. While the immediate effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection are well documented, the long-term effects remain largely unexplored, especially in young adults. This study focuses on the long-term effects of COVID-19 on endothelial function, arterial stiffness and blood pressure in university students.
The researchers recruited 37 university students who had been infected with COVID-19 for more than two months. Endothelial function was assessed by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery, while arterial stiffness was measured using the ABI Systems 100. Variables assessed included systolic pressure index (SPI), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (bcPWV), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP).
The results revealed that DMF was significantly impaired after COVID infection-indicating a deterioration in endothelial function. In addition, cfOPV and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were significantly increased, suggesting an increase in arterial stiffness and BP.
A simple linear regression model showed a significant negative correlation between time since COVID-19 infection and change in cOPV. This indicates that arterial stiffness improves over time. In contrast, there was a significant positive correlation between time post-infection and change in diastolic blood pressure suggesting an increase in BP over time.
No significant differences were observed in SPI and HR between pre- and post-COVID-19 measurements. Furthermore, no significant correlation was observed with the other variables (p > 0.05).
The study highlights the long-term negative effects of COVID-19 infection on endothelial function and arterial stiffness in university students. The significant decrease in DMF after COVID-19 infection indicates impaired endothelial function, which may have important implications for long-term cardiovascular health. The increase in cfoPV and SBP suggests that COVID-19 may lead to an increase in arterial stiffness, which is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
However, the results also show a progressive improvement in arterial stiffness over time, as indicated by the decrease in cOPV. This observation is encouraging and suggests that the effects of COVID-19 on arterial stiffness may be reversible.
On the other hand, the progressive increase in DBP is worrying and may indicate an increased risk of developing long-term hypertension in individuals who have been infected with COVID-19.
