AUTHOR=Gao Yi-Ping , Zhou Wei , Huang Pei-Na , Liu Hong-Yun , Bi Xiao-Jun , Zhu Ying , Sun Jie , Tang Qiao-Ying , Li Li , Zhang Jun , Zhu Wei-Hong , Cheng Xue-Qing , Liu Ya-Ni , Deng You-Bin 

TITLE=Persistent Endothelial Dysfunction in Coronavirus Disease-2019 Survivors Late After Recovery

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2022.809033

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2022.809033

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can result in endothelial dysfunction in acute phase. However, information on the late vascular consequences of COVID-19 is limited.
Methods: Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) examination were performed and inflammatory biomarkers were assessed in 86 COVID-19 survivors 327 days (IQR 318-337 days) after recovery. Comparisons were made with 28 age-matched and sex-matched healthy controls and 30 risk factor–matched patients.
Results: Brachial artery FMD was significantly lower in the COVID-19 survivors than in the healthy controls and risk factor-matched controls (median [IQR] 7.7 [5.1-10.7]% for healthy controls, 6.9 [5.5-9.4]% for risk factor-matched controls and 3.5[2.2-4.6]% for COVID-19, respectively, p < 0.001). FMD was lower in 25 patients with elevated tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (2.7[1.2-3.9]) than in 61 patients without elevated TNF-α (3.8[2.6-5.3], p = 0.012). Furthermore, FMD was inversely correlated with serum concentration of TNF-α (r = -0.237, p = 0.007).
Conclusion: COVID-19 survivors have reduced brachial artery FMD, which is inversely correlated with serum concentration of TNF-α. Prospective studies on the association of endothelial dysfunction with long-term cardiovascular outcomes, especially the early onset of atherosclerosis are warranted in COVID-19 survivors.