Local Inflammation May Underlie Cardiac Damage in Post-COVID-19 Period

Q: What does this research mean for the field?

Local inflammation may underlie subclinical cardiac damage and cardiovascular dysfunction in patients during the post-COVID-19 period. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.INCREMENTAL. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

Marcio Roberto Moraes de Carvalho; Natalia Fonseca Rosário; Alice Ramos; Carla Rodrigues do Amaral Azevedo; Mario Luiz Ribeiro; Guilherme Schittine Bezerra Lomba; Evelyn Maciel de Oliveira; Rachel V. O’Neill de Souza; Mauro Jorge Cabral Castro; Jocemir Ronaldo Lugon

doi:10.36660/abchf.20250037i

December 1, 2025ABC Heart Failure & Cardiomyopathy

Local Inflammation May Underlie Cardiac Damage in Post-COVID-19 Period

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Why the study?

Some patients experience subclinical cardiovascular dysfunction after COVID-19, possibly driven by incompletely understood persistent inflammatory mechanisms.

Are elevated NT-proBNP levels associated with increased inflammatory cytokines and subclinical echocardiographic dysfunction in patients with Post-COVID-19 Condition?

Structured PICO

Are elevated NT-proBNP levels associated with increased inflammatory cytokines and subclinical echocardiographic dysfunction in patients with Post-COVID-19 Condition?

P

Population

78 adults in the post-COVID-19 period (prior PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2), median age 61, 33.3% male, from a tertiary care university hospital in Brazil. High prevalence of hypertension (70.5%), dyslipidemia (53.8%), and diabetes (35.9%).

I

Intervention

Elevated NT-proBNP levels at baseline (n=39)

C

Comparator

Normal NT-proBNP levels (n=39), matched 1:1 for sex, age, diabetes, and hypertension

O

Outcome

Associations between NT-proBNP, GDF-15, inflammatory cytokines, and echocardiographic parameters (PALS and RV-GLS)surrogate

Limitations

Relatively small sample size
Absence of cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to assess myocardial fibrosis
Single-center design
1:1 matching may have introduced selection bias and reduced generalizability
Cross-sectional nature precludes causal inferences

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Implication

Elevated NT-proBNP and GDF-15 levels identify subclinical myocardial dysfunction and local inflammation in post-COVID-19 patients, suggesting a chronic inflammatory mechanism for cardiac damage.

Abstract

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Cite This Study

Carvalho et al. (2025) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a080a41a487c87a6a40c35b https://doi.org/10.36660/abchf.20250037i

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Local Inflammation May Underlie Cardiac Damage in Post-COVID-19 Period

Structured PICO

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

Local Inflammation May Underlie Cardiac Damage in Post-COVID-19 Period

Structured PICO

Limitations

Ask about this paper

Implication

Abstract

Discussion

Cite This Study

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