Key points from article :
Researchers have found that covid-19 may speed up the ageing of blood vessels, but mainly in women. The study involved 2,390 people from 16 countries, with an average age of 50, between 2020 and 2022. Scientists measured artery stiffness by tracking how quickly pressure waves moved between neck and leg arteries, a known way of estimating vascular ageing.
The research showed that women who had been infected with covid-19 had stiffer arteries compared to uninfected women. Severity mattered too: those hospitalised showed arteries equivalent to being about five years older, and those in intensive care up to 7.5 years older. The effect was not seen in men, suggesting biological sex plays a key role.
The study was carried out by the team at Université Paris Cité. They adjusted for other risk factors such as smoking and obesity, ensuring the link was closely tied to covid-19 infection. Scientists think women’s stronger immune responses may cause more inflammation, leading to long-lasting vascular damage.
At a six-month follow-up, some improvement in stiffness was noted, but women with lingering symptoms of long covid still had unhealthy arteries. Bruno said the measurable vascular changes matched patient experiences of ongoing fatigue and illness.
Experts believe this work may help explain why long covid appears more common in women. It also points toward potential treatments targeting vascular ageing in post-covid patients.
The study was published in the European Heart Journal and is considered the first large international trial to show covid-19’s measurable effect on vascular ageing.
