Atherosclerosis Associated With COVID-19: Acute, Tends to Severely Involve Peripheral Arteries, and May be Reversible

Abstract

Arterial stiffness was reported with corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We studied atherosclerosis in COVID-19 directly through duplex ultrasound measurements and their relation to co-morbidities, clinical and laboratory severity markers, and serum interleukin (IL) 6 and 17. Serum IL 6 and 17, average carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT), diameter and peak systolic velocities (PSV) of tibial, ulnar, radial arteries, and ankle brachial index (ABI) were measured in 44 COVID-19 patients and 44 healthy controls. Serum IL6, IL17, PSV, and cIMT were higher while diameter was lower ( P ≤ .01) in cases. Clinical severity index correlated positively with age, co-morbidities, ferritin, IL6, IL17, cIMT, and PSV ( P ≤ .04) and negatively with diameter and ABI ( P = .04). Patients with severe lymphopenia had higher PSV, IL6, and IL17 and lower diameter ( P < .00001). Ferritin positively correlated with PSV and negatively with diameter and ABI ( P ≤ .01). Those who received an IL6 inhibitor (tocilizumab) showed lower PSV and higher diameter ( P ≤ .01). In multiple regression analysis, IL17 and (age, co-morbidities) were related to (PSV, diameter) and cIMT ( P ≤ .001, ≤0.02), respectively. COVID-19 may be associated with subclinical acute and may be reversible atherosclerosis severely involving peripheral arteries.