Key result
SARS-CoV-2 infection in collegiate athletes was associated with mild atypical autonomic responses, including orthostatic intolerance, but did not significantly impair allometrically scaled brachial artery flow-mediated dilation compared to controls (10.0% vs. 7.1%, p=0.058).
Why the study?
SARS-CoV-2 infection alters autonomic and vascular function in young, otherwise healthy adults, but whether these alterations occur in young competitive athletes remained unknown.
Does recent SARS-CoV-2 infection alter autonomic and vascular function in collegiate athletes?
Cross-Sectional (n=42)
No
Does recent SARS-CoV-2 infection alter autonomic and vascular function in collegiate athletes?
Collegiate athletes may develop mild alterations in autonomic function, such as orthostatic intolerance, in the weeks following COVID-19 infection, without significant impairment in vascular function.
May warrant targeted autonomic screening in symptomatic post-COVID athletes; leaves open persistence and performance impact in larger cohorts.
Introduction: Recent studies suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infection alters autonomic and vascular function in young, otherwise healthy, adults. However, whether these alterations exist in young competitive athletes remains unknown. This study aimed to assess the effects of COVID-19 on cardiac autonomic control and vascular function in collegiate athletes who tested positive for COVID-19, acknowledging the limitations imposed by the early stages of the pandemic. Methods: Sixteen collegiate athletes from various sports underwent a battery of commonly used autonomic and vascular function tests (23 ± 9, range: 12–44 days post-infection). Additionally, data from 26 healthy control participants were included. Results: In response to the Valsalva maneuver, nine athletes had a reduced early phase II blood pressure response and/or reduced Valsalva ratio. A depressed respiratory sinus arrhythmia amplitude was observed in three athletes. Three athletes became presyncopal during standing and did not complete the 10-min orthostatic challenge. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, when allometrically scaled to account for differences in baseline diameter, was not different between athletes and controls (10.0% ± 3.5% vs. 7.1% ± 2.4%, p = 0.058). Additionally, no differences were observed between groups when FMD responses were normalized by shear rate (athletes: 0.055% ± 0.026%/s-1, controls: 0.068% ± 0.049%/s-1, p = 0.40). Discussion: Few atypical and borderline responses to autonomic function tests were observed in athletes following an acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. The most meaningful autonomic abnormality being the failure of three athletes to complete a 10-min orthostatic challenge. These findings suggest that some athletes may develop mild alterations in autonomic function in the weeks after developing COVID-19, while vascular function is not significantly impaired.
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Luck et al. (2023) conducted a cross-sectional in SARS-CoV-2 infection (n=42). SARS-CoV-2 infection vs. SARS-CoV-2 negative healthy controls was evaluated on Allometrically scaled brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (p=0.058). SARS-CoV-2 infection in collegiate athletes was associated with mild atypical autonomic responses, including orthostatic intolerance, but did not significantly impair allometrically scaled brachial artery flow-mediated dilation compared to controls (10.0% vs. 7.1%, p=0.058).
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