Key result
Spaceflight linked to ~16% increase in carotid intima-media thickness that reverses postflight.
Why the study?
Long-duration spaceflight leads to vascular adaptation, but little is known regarding the recovery of common carotid artery wall properties postflight.
Does 6 months of spaceflight alter common carotid artery intima media thickness and index of reflectivity in astronauts?
Observational (n=10)
Does 6 months of spaceflight alter common carotid artery intima media thickness and index of reflectivity in astronauts?
Long-duration spaceflight induces transient structural remodeling of the common carotid artery, characterized by increased intima-media thickness and reflectivity, which largely normalizes 6 months after returning to Earth.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Spaceflight may induce persistent carotid wall thickening; leaves open long-term cardiovascular risk and mechanisms in astronauts.
Purpose: Long-duration spaceflight has been shown to result in vascular adaptation. However, little is known about the recovery of these parameters after the flight. The purpose of our study was to assess the common carotid (CC) artery wall properties before, during, and after 6 months of spaceflight on the International Space Station (ISS). Methods: CC artery wall properties were assessed using ultrasound measures of the intima media thickness (IMT) and the evaluation of the radiofrequency signal to determine the index of reflectivity (IR) for the posterior wall, posterior intima, and neck muscle. Data were collected from ten astronauts preflight (PRE), on flight day 150 (FD150), and 4 days (R+4) and 6 months (R+6 m) postflight. Results: IMT increased from PRE (0.56 ± 0.09 mm) to FD150 (0.65 ± 0.11 mm) and R+4 (0.65 ± 0.08 mm), and returned to PRE levels on R+6 m (0.57 ± 0.12 mm). Posterior wall IR also increased from PRE (63% ± 5.5%) to FD150 (78% ± 7.8%) and R+4 (86% ± 4.4%), and returned to PRE levels on R+6 m (60% ± 23%). In contrast, both intima IR and neck muscle IR increased slightly during spaceflight but returned to preflight levels on R+4. Conclusion: Changes in CC posterior wall IMT and IR that persisted at R+4 but normalized at R+6 m suggest structural or content modifications of the vessel wall. In contrast, the early recovery of neck muscle and posterior wall intima IR at R+4 suggests a transient process that is possibly related to microgravity-induced fluid shifts.
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Arbeille et al. (2025) conducted an observational in Healthy astronauts exposed to microgravity (n=10). 6 months of spaceflight (microgravity) vs. Preflight baseline was evaluated on Common carotid artery intima media thickness (IMT) at the carotid bulb area (p=0.048). Six months of spaceflight significantly increased common carotid artery intima-media thickness from 0.56 mm preflight to 0.65 mm inflight (p=0.048), which persisted at 4 days postflight but normalized by 6 months.
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