TY - JOUR
AU - Cristina-Oliveira, Michelle
AU - Meireles, Kamila
AU - Gil, Saulo
AU - Cavalcante de Assis, Fábio
AU - Geber-Júnior, João Carlos
AU - Shinjo, Samuel Katsuyuki
AU - Possolo de Souza, Heraldo
AU - Santana, Alfredo Nicodemos da Cruz
AU - Swinton, Paul A.
AU - Drager, Luciano F.
AU - Gualano, Bruno
AU - Roschel, Hamilton
AU - Peçanha, Tiago
PY - 2022
DA - March
TI - Carotid intima-media thickness and flow-mediated dilation do not predict major outcomes in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.
JO - American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology
DO - https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpheart.00026.2022
AB - Studies have suggested a potential role of endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis in the pathophysiology of COVID-19. Herein we tested whether brachial flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) measured upon hospital admission are associated with major clinical outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. A total of 211 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were submitted to assessments of FMD and mean and maximum cIMT (cIMTmean and cIMTmax) within the first 72 hours of hospital admission. Study primary outcome was a composite of intensive care unit admission, mechanical ventilation, or death during the hospitalization. These outcomes were also considered independently. Thrombotic events were included as a secondary outcome. Odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using unadjusted and adjusted multivariable logistic regression models. Eighty-eight (42%) participants demonstrated at least one of the composite outcomes. cIMTmean and cIMTmax were predictors of mortality and thrombotic events in the univariate analysis (cIMTmean and mortality: unadjusted OR 13.0[95%CI 1.7-105], P=0.015; cIMTmean and thrombotic events: unadjusted OR 13.0[95%CI 1.7-93]; P=0.013; cIMTmax and mortality: unadjusted OR 8.3[95%CI 1.3-53]; P=0.026; cIMTmax and thrombotic events: unadjusted OR 12.0[95%CI 2.0-74]; P=0.007). However, these associations were no longer present after adjustment for potential confounders (P=0.06-0.79). Additionally, FMD% was not consistently associated with any outcome. In conclusion, cIMT and FMD are not independent predictors of clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. These results suggest that subclinical atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction may not be the main drivers of COVID-19 complications in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
PB - American Physiological Society
UR - https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/1628181
KW - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
ER