Nicosia: A Covid infection, particularly in women, may lead to blood vessels aging around five years, according to research published in the European Heart Journal. This study involved researchers from the School of Health Sciences at the Cyprus University of Technology, including Lead Associate Professor Andrie Panayiotou and Dr. Galatia Photiou.
According to Cyprus News Agency, blood vessels naturally become stiffer with age, but the new study suggests that Covid could expedite this process. This finding is critical as individuals with stiffer blood vessels face a heightened risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as stroke and heart attack. The study covered 2,390 participants from 16 countries, who were assessed based on whether they had been infected with Covid and the severity of their cases.
Researchers evaluated each participant’s vascular age using a device that measures carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), a key indicator of vascular stiffness. Measurements were taken six and twelve months after Covid infection. The study found that all groups infected with Covid, even those with mild symptoms, had stiffer arteries than those who had not contracted the virus. The effect was more pronounced in women and individuals experiencing long Covid symptoms.
For women with mild Covid, the average increase in PWV was 0.55 m/sec, while it was 0.60 m/sec for those hospitalized, and 1.09 m/sec for those in intensive care. Such an increase is clinically significant, equating to vascular aging of approximately five years and a 3% increased risk of cardiovascular disease in a 60-year-old woman.
Vaccination appeared to mitigate the impact on vascular stiffness, with vaccinated individuals generally showing less arterial stiffness. Over time, the vascular aging associated with Covid appeared to stabilize or slightly improve. The difference between men and women may be attributed to variations in immune system function, as women tend to have a more robust immune response, which can both protect and damage blood vessels post-infection.
Vascular aging is measurable and manageable through lifestyle changes and medication. For those with accelerated vascular aging, proactive measures are essential to reduce heart attack and stroke risks.
The study also features an editorial by Harvard Medical School researchers, and the CUT research team expressed gratitude to the volunteers of the CARTESIAN-Cy study arm.