Key result
Severe COVID-19 survivors exhibited exaggerated muscle sympathetic nerve activity (P<0.001) and blunted vasodilatory responses (P<0.05) to mental stress compared with healthy matched controls.
Why the study?
COVID-19 survivors show elevated MSNA, endothelial dysfunction, and aortic stiffening, but neurovascular responses to mental stress and exercise remain unexplored.
Do severe COVID-19 survivors exhibit abnormal neurovascular and hemodynamic responses to mental stress and physical exercise compared to matched controls?
Observational (n=30)
Do severe COVID-19 survivors exhibit abnormal neurovascular and hemodynamic responses to mental stress and physical exercise compared to matched controls?
p-value: p=<0.001
Severe COVID-19 survivors exhibit exaggerated sympathetic and blunted vasodilatory responses to mental stress, suggesting a potential mechanism for increased cardiovascular risk during mental challenges.
Suggests a mechanism for heightened cardiovascular risk during psychological stress in COVID-1.
Previous studies show that COVID-19 survivors have elevated muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), endothelial dysfunction, and aortic stiffening. However, the neurovascular responses to mental stress and exercise are still unexplored. We hypothesized that COVID-19 survivors, compared with age- and body mass index (BMI)-matched control subjects, exhibit abnormal neurovascular responses to mental stress and physical exercise. Fifteen severe COVID-19 survivors (aged: 49 ± 2 yr, BMI: 30 ± 1 kg/m2) and 15 well-matched control subjects (aged: 46 ± 3 yr, BMI: 29 ± 1 kg/m2) were studied. MSNA (microneurography), forearm blood flow (FBF), and forearm vascular conductance (FVC, venous occlusion plethysmography), mean arterial pressure (MAP, Finometer), and heart rate (HR, ECG) were measured during a 3-min mental stress (Stroop Color-Word Test) and during a 3-min isometric handgrip exercise (30% of maximal voluntary contraction). During mental stress, MSNA (frequency and incidence) responses were higher in COVID-19 survivors than in controls ( P < 0.001), and FBF and FVC responses were attenuated ( P < 0.05). MAP was similar between the groups ( P > 0.05). In contrast, the MSNA (frequency and incidence) and FBF and FVC responses to handgrip exercise were similar between the groups ( P > 0.05). MAP was lower in COVID-19 survivors ( P < 0.05). COVID-19 survivors exhibit an exaggerated MSNA and blunted vasodilatory response to mental challenge compared with healthy adults. However, the neurovascular response to handgrip exercise is preserved in COVID-19 survivors. Overall, the abnormal neurovascular control in response to mental stress suggests that COVID-19 survivors may have an increased risk to cardiovascular events during mental challenge.
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Faria et al. (2023) conducted an observational in Severe COVID-19 (n=30). Severe COVID-19 vs. Age- and BMI-matched healthy controls was evaluated on Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) responses during mental stress (p=<0.001). Severe COVID-19 survivors exhibited exaggerated muscle sympathetic nerve activity (P<0.001) and blunted vasodilatory responses (P<0.05) to mental stress compared with healthy matched controls.
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