Rapid progression of blood vessel aging due to COVID-19 infection

Rapid progression of blood vessel aging due to COVID-19 infection

In a recent study published in the European Heart Journal, researchers have found that COVID-19 infection can accelerate the aging of blood vessels, especially in women. This aging process, measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), makes the arteries stiffer than expected for a person's age.

The study, which involved 2,390 participants from 16 countries, including Austria, examined individuals between September 2020 and February 2022. The researchers distinguished between people who had not been infected with Covid, those with mild cases, people treated on a normal ward, and those treated in intensive care units.

The findings revealed that, on average, the blood vessels of infected individuals were stiffer than those who had never been infected, including those with a mild illness. Interestingly, the ageing effect was more pronounced in women, who showed greater increases in arterial stiffness after COVID-19 compared to men.

This difference was particularly noticeable in women, with no significant difference in men. The study's authors suggest this could be due to a "survival bias" among male participants with a Covid infection. The group of people who were in intensive care with Covid showed significant reversibility in their aging processes after a 12-month follow-up, suggesting that hospitalization or intensive care itself may play a significant role.

The study also found that other factors that could influence the age of the blood vessels, such as blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and obesity, had minimal impact on the accelerated vascular aging linked to COVID-19. This highlights COVID itself as a significant causal factor.

Vaccination was found to mitigate the extent of accelerated vascular aging post-infection. Vaccinated individuals had, on average, less stiff vessels than the unvaccinated. The higher the value obtained from the PWV measurement, the stiffer the blood vessels, and the higher the age category.

The study's findings are considered "provocative" by experts, and they want to clarify the reasons for the findings. Further studies are necessary to answer the questions raised by the study, such as whether COVID is indeed the cause of vascular aging and why women seem particularly affected.

Stiffer blood vessels increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and heart attack, according to experts. Detecting and potentially modifying this vascular damage early, especially in women survivors of COVID-19, is important for preventing long-term cardiovascular complications.

1. This study, published in the European Heart Journal, focuses on the impact of COVID-19 on science, specifically the aging of blood vessels.
2. The research, conducted over a period of around two years, involved participants from 16 countries, including Austria, and covered four categories of COVID-19 cases.
3. The categories included individuals not infected with Covid, those with mild cases, people treated on a normal ward, and those in intensive care units.
4. The findings showed that, on average, the blood vessels of infected individuals were stiffer than those who had never been infected.
5. Interestingly, the aging effect was more pronounced in women, who showed greater increases in arterial stiffness after COVID-19 than men.
6. The study's authors suggest that this difference could be due to a "survival bias" among male participants with a Covid infection.
7. The group of people who were in intensive care with Covid showed significant reversibility in their aging processes after a 12-month follow-up.
8. The study also found that other medical conditions, such as blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and obesity, had minimal impact on the accelerated vascular aging linked to COVID-19.
9. Vaccination was found to mitigate the extent of accelerated vascular aging post-infection.
10. The higher the value obtained from the PWV measurement, the stiffer the blood vessels, and the higher the age category.
11. Stiffer blood vessels increase the risk of chronic diseases such as stroke and heart attack.
12. Detecting and potentially modifying this vascular damage early, especially in women survivors of COVID-19, is crucial for preventing long-term cardiovascular complications.
13. Further studies are necessary to answer questions like whether COVID is indeed the cause of vascular aging and why women seem particularly affected.
14. This research also opens up discussions about workplace-wellness, mental-health, and other health-and-wellness aspects related to COVID-19, including cbd as a potential therapeutic option for neurological-disorders and skin-conditions.

Read also: