Recent findings suggest that COVID-19 causes vascular dysfunction during the acute phase of the illness in otherwise healthy young adults. To date, no studies have investigated the longer-term effects of COVID-19 on vascular function. Herein, we hypothesized that young, otherwise healthy adults who are past the acute phase of COVID-19 would exhibit blunted peripheral (brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and reactive hyperemia) and cerebral vasodilator function (cerebral vasomotor reactivity to hypercapnia; CVMR) and increased central arterial stiffness. Sixteen young adults who were at least 4 weeks past a COVID-19 diagnosis and 12 controls who never had COVID-19 were studied. Eight COVID subjects were symptomatic (SYM) and 8 were asymptomatic (ASYM) at the time of testing. FMD and reactive hyperemia were not different between COVID and Control groups. However, FMD was lower in SYM (3.8 ± 0.6%) compared to ASYM (6.8 ± 0.9%; P = 0.007) and Control (6.8 ± 0.6%; P = 0.003) with no difference between ASYM and Control. Similarly, peak blood velocity following cuff release was lower in SYM (47 ± 8 cm/s) compared to ASYM (64 ± 19 cm/s; P = 0.025) and Control (61 ± 14 cm/s; P = 0.036). CVMR and arterial stiffness were not different between any groups. In summary, peripheral macro- and microvascular function, but not cerebral vascular function or central arterial stiffness were blunted in young adults symptomatic beyond the acute phase of COVID-19. In contrast, those who were asymptomatic had similar vascular function compared to controls who never had COVID.

中文翻译：

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在 COVID-19 后出现持续症状的年轻健康成年人的外周血管扩张功能减弱，但脑血管扩张功能减弱

最近的研究结果表明，COVID-19 在其他健康的年轻人疾病的急性期会导致血管功能障碍。迄今为止，尚无研究调查 COVID-19 对血管功能的长期影响。在此，我们假设，过了 COVID-19 急性期的年轻、健康的成年人会表现出外周（肱动脉血流介导的扩张（FMD）和反应性充血）和脑血管舒张功能（脑血管舒缩反应性高碳酸血症；CVMR ) 和增加中央动脉僵硬度。研究了 16 名在 COVID-19 诊断后至少 4 周的年轻人和 12 名从未感染过 COVID-19 的对照组。在测试时，8 名 COVID 受试者有症状（SYM），8 名无症状（ASYM）。口蹄疫和反应性充血在 COVID 组和对照组之间没有差异。然而，与 ASYM (6.8 ± 0.9%; P = 0.007) 和 Control (6.8 ± 0.6%; P = 0.003) 相比，SYM (3.8 ± 0.6%) 的 FMD 较低，ASYM 和 Control 之间没有差异。同样，与 ASYM (64 ± 19 cm/s; P = 0.025) 和对照 (61 ± 14 cm/s; P = 0.036) 相比，SYM (47 ± 8 cm/s) 袖带释放后的峰值血流速度较低。CVMR 和动脉僵硬度在任何组之间都没有差异。总之，在 COVID-19 急性期后有症状的年轻人中，外周大血管和微血管功能减弱，但脑血管功能或中央动脉僵硬没有减弱。相比之下，与从未感染过 COVID 的对照组相比，无症状者的血管功能相似。6%) 与 ASYM (6.8 ± 0.9%; P = 0.007) 和 Control (6.8 ± 0.6%; P = 0.003) 相比，ASYM 和 Control 之间没有差异。同样，与 ASYM (64 ± 19 cm/s; P = 0.025) 和对照 (61 ± 14 cm/s; P = 0.036) 相比，SYM (47 ± 8 cm/s) 袖带释放后的峰值血流速度较低。CVMR 和动脉僵硬度在任何组之间都没有差异。总之，在 COVID-19 急性期后有症状的年轻人中，外周大血管和微血管功能减弱，但脑血管功能或中央动脉僵硬没有减弱。相比之下，与从未感染过 COVID 的对照组相比，无症状者的血管功能相似。6%) 与 ASYM (6.8 ± 0.9%; P = 0.007) 和 Control (6.8 ± 0.6%; P = 0.003) 相比，ASYM 和 Control 之间没有差异。同样，与 ASYM (64 ± 19 cm/s; P = 0.025) 和对照 (61 ± 14 cm/s; P = 0.036) 相比，SYM (47 ± 8 cm/s) 袖带释放后的峰值血流速度较低。CVMR 和动脉僵硬度在任何组之间都没有差异。总之，在 COVID-19 急性期后有症状的年轻人中，外周大血管和微血管功能减弱，但脑血管功能或中央动脉僵硬没有减弱。相比之下，与从未感染过 COVID 的对照组相比，无症状者的血管功能相似。与 ASYM (64 ± 19 cm/s; P = 0.025) 和对照 (61 ± 14 cm/s; P = 0.036) 相比，SYM (47 ± 8 cm/s) 袖带释放后的峰值血流速度较低。CVMR 和动脉僵硬度在任何组之间都没有差异。总之，在 COVID-19 急性期后有症状的年轻人中，外周大血管和微血管功能减弱，但脑血管功能或中央动脉僵硬没有减弱。相比之下，与从未感染过 COVID 的对照组相比，无症状者的血管功能相似。与 ASYM (64 ± 19 cm/s; P = 0.025) 和对照 (61 ± 14 cm/s; P = 0.036) 相比，SYM (47 ± 8 cm/s) 袖带释放后的峰值血流速度较低。CVMR 和动脉僵硬度在任何组之间都没有差异。总之，在 COVID-19 急性期后有症状的年轻人中，外周大血管和微血管功能减弱，但脑血管功能或中枢动脉僵硬没有减弱。相比之下，与从未感染过 COVID 的对照组相比，无症状者的血管功能相似。但在 COVID-19 急性期后有症状的年轻人中，脑血管功能或中央动脉僵硬并未减弱。相比之下，与从未感染过 COVID 的对照组相比，无症状者的血管功能相似。但在 COVID-19 急性期后有症状的年轻人中，脑血管功能或中央动脉僵硬并未减弱。相比之下，与从未感染过 COVID 的对照组相比，无症状者的血管功能相似。