Longer-term effects of COVID-19 on blood vessels and blood pressure
Research type
Research Study
Full title
LOnger-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 INfection on blood Vessels And blood pRessure (LOCHINVAR)
IRAS ID
299056
Contact name
Sandosh Padmanabhan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Research and Development Office
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Summary of Research
The COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest medical challenge in decades. Individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular diseases have a higher risk of severe disease and death from COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 virus causes infection by targeting a molecule on the walls of the cells lining the lungs and the blood vessels leading to injury. There are concerns that after recovery from COVID-19, the damage sustained by these cells may have long-term consequences including high blood pressure, stroke and heart attacks. The burden of high blood pressure as a result of the pandemic is unknown and a greater understanding of COVID-19 impact on blood pressure and its underlying mechanisms is urgently neededLOCHINVAR is based on our pilot study “COVID-19 blood pressure endothelium interaction study” (OBELIX), which found that patients with normal blood pressure at the time of hospital admission with COVID-19 showed a nine -point higher blood pressure ≥12 weeks after recovery, compared to a group without COVID-19. LOCHINVAR will extend the OBELIX study aiming to establish if COVID-19 increases the risk of developing high blood pressure and investigating underlying mechanisms through detailed measurements of blood pressure, blood vessel function, hormones and chemicals in the blood, urine and stool.
We will invite 150 adults without pre-existing high blood pressure who were discharged from hospital after an admission: half with COVID-19 and half without. Baseline visit will be ≥12 weeks after discharge for measurements of blood pressure, tests of heart and blood vessel health, blood, urine and stool samples along with questionnaires on mood and quality of life. Two further study visits follow, at 12 and 18 months.
This study will generate crucial evidence on the long-term impact of COVID-19 on blood pressure along with information on potential mechanisms of this effect with immediate, transferable impact on clinical practice and inform risk mitigation measures.
Summary of Results
The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the biggest challenges in recent years. COVID-19 is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which mainly affects the lungs but can also impact other parts of the body, including the heart and blood vessels. Early research during the pandemic showed that older people, those who are overweight or obese, men, and those with other medical conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or chronic lung disease, are at a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19.
More recent studies have suggested that some people with high blood pressure – a common condition affecting one in three adults in the UK – may be at a lower risk than initially thought. The COVID-19 virus enters the body’s cells through a protein called ACE2, which is found in the lungs, heart, blood vessels, kidneys, liver, and intestines. ACE2 plays an important role in regulating several key functions in the body, such as blood pressure, inflammation, and wound healing.
Some medications used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease may alter the levels or function of ACE2, which could have either positive or negative effects during a COVID-19 infection. COVID-19 can also damage blood vessel walls, increasing the risk of blood clots, especially in people with high blood pressure, although the reasons for this are not yet fully understood. This uncertainty highlights the need for a better understanding of the relationship between COVID-19 and high blood pressure.
The main goal of this study was to investigate whether people who had COVID-19 experienced any long-term effects on their blood vessels 12 months after infection. We found that participants recovering from COVID-19 had an increase in blood pressure, with systolic blood pressure rising by 4.57 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure by 4.46 mmHg. Additionally, there was a 3.15% decline in vascular health among those who had recovered from COVID-19.
Given the increase in blood pressure and the decline in vascular health, further research is needed to confirm these findings and raise awareness about the potential long-term effects of COVID-19 on blood vessels and overall vascular health.REC name
West of Scotland REC 5
REC reference
21/WS/0075
Date of REC Opinion
1 Jul 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion