Tag Archives: vessel

Covid-19 Affects Blood Vessel Aging, Particularly in Women

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The stiffening of arteries with age, exacerbated by Covid-19

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Covid-19 seems to speed up the aging of blood vessels, particularly in women.

The virus has been linked to cardiovascular issues such as heart disease, although the exact mechanisms remain unclear. For further insights, see Rosa Maria Bruno from the University of Parisite and her research team, who studied 2,390 individuals with an average age of 50 across 16 nations, including the UK and US, from September 2020 to February 2022.

Participants included those testing positive for Covid-19 viruses or for antibodies without vaccination, alongside others who were negative for both without past infections.

The health of their arteries was evaluated by measuring the speed of pressure wave transmission between the carotid artery in the neck and the femoral artery in the foot. This assesses arterial stiffness, which naturally increases with age and elevates heart disease risk.

Findings indicated that confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections were related to increased arterial stiffness in women. This correlation appeared to grow with infection severity; for instance, women hospitalized for Covid-19 showed an average arterial age roughly five years greater than their uninfected peers, rising to 7.5 years among those who needed intensive care.

Researchers accounted for other factors influencing arteriosclerosis, such as smoking and obesity.

However, no similar findings were present in men. Earlier studies indicate that women tend to have stronger responses to infections than men, and an inability to modulate immune responses can result in inflammatory damage. Bruno expressed hope for observable gender differences but noted that this study didn’t yield significant ones.

The results also shed light on long Covid, which is more prevalent among women. After six months, arterial stiffness in women showed slight improvement, yet remained notably high in patients with ongoing Covid-19 complications. “Our study demonstrated measurable changes in blood vessels correlating with the symptoms of long Covid patients,” said Bruno.

Some individuals in the uninfected group may have experienced mild infections unbeknownst to them, potentially influencing the study’s validity.

Regardless, Vassilios Vassilio from the University of East Anglia highlighted the study’s robustness, asserting it could aid in identifying individuals affected by long Covid. “This research marks the first large, international multicenter investigation confirming an association between COVID-19 and accelerated vascular aging,” he noted. “The findings enhance comprehension of mechanisms post-Covid-19 syndrome and may pave the way for targeted pharmaceutical approaches.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Study suggests that increasing caffeine intake can lead to better blood vessel health

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In a study led by Sapienza University in Rome, caffeine intake was positively correlated with the proportion of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in lupus patients.

Orefice others. studied the role of caffeine intake on endothelial function in lupus patients by evaluating the effects of caffeine intake on circulating endothelial progenitor cells. Image credit: Sci.News.

Vascular disease, damage to blood vessels, and the resulting heart attacks and strokes are among the leading causes of death in the general population.

These risks are even higher in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

This is due both to the disease itself and to some of its treatments, especially cortisone derivatives.

Until now, doctors’ recommendations for reducing these vascular risks have primarily been about avoiding risk factors.

This includes traditional recommendations such as smoking cessation, reducing cholesterol, and managing high blood pressure, as well as stopping inflammation and reducing the dose of cortisone medications.

But researchers at Rome’s Sapienza University think that doing something that’s actually fun may help patients improve their vascular health.

Research suggests that the caffeine found in coffee, tea, and cocoa helps regenerate the lining of blood vessels and actively supports endothelial progenitor cells, a group of cells involved in blood vessel growth.

Diets rich in vitamin D (found in fatty fish and eggs) and vitamin A (found in many fruits), polyunsaturated fatty acids and low in sodium appear to play a role in reducing inflammatory burden well known.

“We were also wondering about caffeine,” said Dr. Fulvia Ceccarelli and colleagues.

“In addition to its well-known stimulant effects on the body, caffeine also exerts anti-inflammatory effects because it binds to receptors expressed on the surface of immune cells.”

“The effects of caffeine intake on cardiovascular health have been widely investigated, but results are contradictory.”

The study authors surveyed 31 lupus patients without traditional cardiovascular risk factors using a 7-day dietary questionnaire.

After a week, the researchers drew blood from patent patients to measure blood vessel health.

They found that patients who consumed caffeine had better blood vessel health, as measured through the endothelial cells that form the critical lining of blood vessels.

“This study is an attempt to provide patients with information about the possible role of diet in controlling the disease,” said Dr. Ceccarelli.

“The results will need to be confirmed through longitudinal studies aimed at assessing the actual impact of coffee consumption on the course of the disease.”

of result Published in a magazine Rheumatology.

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Valeria Orefice others. Caffeine improves endothelial dysfunction in systemic lupus erythematosus by promoting survival of endothelial progenitor cells. Rheumatologypublished online October 9, 2024. doi: 10.1093/rheumatism/keae453

Source: www.sci.news