[Translated from French]

COVID-19 causes women’s blood vessels to age prematurely, according to an international study involving two researchers from Université Laval. The disease should therefore be considered an additional risk factor in cardiovascular health analyses. Specifically, in those who have developed severe symptoms, they warn.

The aging of blood vessels results in greater rigidity, which can increase the risk of certain cardiovascular diseases.

“The heart must work a little harder to propel blood through the arterial system, and this causes variations in pressure that can damage sensitive organs, including the brain and kidneys,” explains Catherine Fortier, a kinesiologist and researcher in vascular aging at the CHU de Québec-Université Laval.

The vast study looked at vascular rigidity in nearly 2,100 people, men and women, in 18 countries, including 50 in Quebec.

The sample consisted of four groups: infected patients presenting with mild symptoms, infected patients with moderate symptoms, and more severely infected patients. A group of 319 patients who have never had COVID-19 was also tested.

Results: premature vascular aging of 5 years was observed for the mild and moderate infection groups, and 10 years for the severely infected group. These changes were not observed in men, only in women.