The Status of Intima-Media Thickness of Bilateral Carotid Arteries in the Postinfection Phase of SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) affects the cardiovascular system by activating systemic inflammatory responses that cause vascular dysfunction. However, the long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the cardiovascular system remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) between patients who have recovered from Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and healthy individuals to evaluate the feasibility of vascular complications in the postinfection phase of COVID-19. In this cross-sectional study, the cIMT was compared between 47 recovered patients with severe COVID-19 and 42 healthy individuals without a history of COVID-19 (controls) using Doppler sonography. Demographic and sonographic data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 statistical software. A total of 47 young adults (30.8 ± 5.78 years, 7 men and 40 women) were evaluated 3 to 6 months after hospitalization for severe COVID-19, and were compared with 42 young healthy individuals (26.5 ± 5.85 years, 5 men and 37 women). The mean right and left cIMT were significantly lower in recovered COVID-19 patients than in healthy individuals (right cIMT: case group, 0.38 ± 05 mm vs control group, 0.40 ± 0.02 mm, P < .01; left cIMT: case group, 0.38 ± 0.05 mm vs control group, 0.40 ± 0.02, P < .01). A history of positive SARS-CoV-2 was associated with lower cIMT compared with controls. In this cohort, endothelial dysfunction may not have been the main driver of COVID-19 complications in recovered patients. However, more studies should be conducted on the relationship between cIMT and vascular complications.