COVID-19 Infection Linked to Accelerated Vascular Aging

MONDAY, Aug. 18, 2025 (HealthDay News) — COVID-19 is associated with early vascular aging, as assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV), an established biomarker of large artery stiffness, and this association is particularly strong in women, according to a study published online Aug. 18 in the European Heart Journal.

Rosa Maria Bruno, M.D., Ph.D., from Université Paris Cité, and colleagues conducted a prospective cohort study involving 2,390 adults recruited from 34 centers in 16 countries to examine whether accelerated vascular aging occurs after COVID-19 infection. Participants were included from four groups: COVID-19-negative controls, and three groups with recent exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2: not hospitalized (2), hospitalized in general wards (3), and hospitalized in intensive care units (4).

The researchers found that all COVID-19-positive groups showed higher PWV (+0.41, +0.37, and +0.40 m/s for groups 2 to 4, respectively, versus controls [PWV, 7.53]), after adjustment for confounders. Sex-stratified analyses showed that PWV differences were significant in women (+0.55, +0.60, and +1.09 m/s for groups 2 to 4, respectively), but not in men. Regardless of disease severity and cardiovascular confounders, persistent symptoms were associated with higher PWV among COVID-19-positive women (PWV, 7.52 versus 7.13 m/s). In the COVID-19-positive groups, a stable or improved PWV was seen after 12 months, while progression was observed in the COVID-19-negative group.

“One of the reasons for the difference between women and men could be differences in the function of the immune system,” Bruno said in a statement. “Women mount a more rapid and robust immune response, which can protect them from infection. However, this same response can also increase damage to blood vessels after the initial infection.”

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