Covid has long-term detrimental effects on vascular function in college students

COVID-19 has been shown to negatively impact cardiovascular health, but its long-term effects on college students remain unclear. A study published in BMC Infectious Diseases investigated these effects by enrolling 37 college students who had recovered from COVID-19 for over two months. The researchers assessed endothelial function, arterial stiffness, and blood pressure using various non-invasive methods, including brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurements. Results indicated a significant impairment in endothelial function post-infection, with FMD showing a marked decrease (p < 0.001). Additionally, there was a significant increase in carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p < 0.05). While arterial stiffness, as measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), showed improvement over time, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) increased, suggesting a worsening trend in blood pressure levels. No significant changes were observed in the ankle-brachial index (ABI) or heart rate (HR). The study concluded that COVID-19 has lasting detrimental effects on vascular function in college students, with arterial stiffness improving over time while blood pressure may worsen. This research highlights the need for ongoing monitoring of cardiovascular health in individuals recovering from COVID-19, particularly in younger populations.