COVID-19 and cardiovascular system: Not only heart but also vascular. The effects of the infection on arterial stiffness

ABSTRACT

Background and Aims: SARS-CoV-2 determines a framework of multi-organ dysfunction that can involve the cardiovascular system creating damages of different nature. Among these, endothelial damage could play a key role in increasing arterial stiffness and thus the cardiovascular risk of infected patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV) of a population of patients after recovery from infection and to compare them with those of a group affected by arterial hypertension. Method(s) This prospective observational monocentric study involved 143 patients with previous diagnosis of Covid-19 who undergone PWV measurement during the follow-up at a median time of 3.8 months after the infection. These patients were compared to a population of 143 patients with hypertension matched by age, sex, Systolic Blood Pressure values and Body Mass Index. Result(s) PWV values were higher in Covid-19 group comparing to hypertension group (10.5 +/- 3.0 m/s VS 8.9 +/- 2.5 m/s). Furthermore, there is a correlation between higher PWV values and lower values of SpO2% at time of admission at the Emergency Department. (R= -0.302;p<0.001). Conclusion(s) SARS-CoV-2 infection seems related to increased PWV values. Moreover, higher arterial stiffness seems correlated to a worse oxygen saturation in Emergency Department. More studies with longer follow-up time are necessary to establish whether the vascular damage is reversible and whether it correlates with an increase of long-term cardiovascular risk. Copyright © 2022