The effect of COVID-19 on cardiovascular function and exercise tolerance in healthy middle-age and older individuals

Sophie L. Russell; Nduka Okwose; Mushidur Rahman; Ben Lee; Gordon McGregor; Stuart Raleigh; Hardip Sandhu; Laura Catherine Roden; Prithwish Banerjee; Djordje Jakovljevic

doi:10.1080/14017431.2025.2468339

The effect of COVID-19 on cardiovascular function and exercise tolerance in healthy middle-age and older individuals

Sophie L. Russell, Nduka Okwose, Mushidur Rahman, Ben Lee, Gordon McGregor, Stuart Raleigh, Hardip Sandhu, Laura Catherine Roden, Prithwish Banerjee, Djordje Jakovljevic

Department for Health

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Aims: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can affect cardiovascular function in health and disease. The present study assessed the effect of prior COVID-19 infection on cardiovascular phenotype at rest and in response to exercise in middle age and older individuals.

Methods: This case-control, single-centre study recruited 124 participants: 84 with a history of COVID-19 (59.9 ± 7.41 years, 54.8% female) and 40 participants without history of COVID-19 infection (62.8 ± 7.14 years, 62.5% female). All participants underwent non-invasive assessment of arterial function using pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (Alx) and hemodynamic function (i.e., cardiac index (CI), stroke volume index (SVI), heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP)) at rest. Cardiopulmonary exercise stress testing with simultaneous gas exchange and hemodynamic (bioreactance) measurements was also performed.

Results: There were no differences between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 groups in PWV (COVID-19: 7.52 ± 1.66 m/s, non-COVID-19: 7.32 ± 1.79 m/s, p = 0.440); Alx (COVID-19: 29.2 ± 9.12%, non-COVID-19: 29.2 ± 8.44%, p = 0.980); CI (COVID-19: 2.85 ± 0.39 L/min/m2, non-COVID-19: 2.79 ± 0.37 L/min/m2, p = 0.407); SVI (COVID-19: 46.5 ± 7.54 mL/m2, non-COVID-19: 47.0 ± 7.59 mL/m2, p = 0.776), HR (COVID-19: 62.3 ± 10.6 beats/min, Non-COVID-19: 60.2 ± 8.52 beats/min, p = 0.263), or MAP (COVID-19: 98.1 ± 11.2 mmHg, non-COVID-19: 96.6 ± 9.46 mmHg, p = 0.464). COVID-19 participants however demonstrated lower O2 consumption at anaerobic threshold (15.5 ± 4.25 vs 16.8 ± 4.51 mL/kg/m2, p = 0.034), peak cardiac index (10.4 ± 2.3 vs 11.3 ± 2.5 L/min/m2, p = 0.040) and peak stroke volume index (82.1 ± 25.3 vs 98.6 ± 37.6 mL/m2, p = 0.028).

Conclusion: Healthy middle-age and older individuals with history COVID-19 infection demonstrate reduced exercise tolerance and cardiac function response to exercise.

Original language	English
Article number	2468339
Journal	Scandinavian Cardiovascular Journal
Volume	59
Issue number	1
Early online date	14 Feb 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/14017431.2025.2468339
Publication status	Published - 14 Feb 2025

Data Availability Statement

The corresponding author shall provide data upon reasonable request.

Acknowledgements

Authors would like to thank participants for their time in undertaking the present study.

Funding

The study was supported by Coventry University COVID-19 Research and Innovation fund for the PhD Studentship developed by Professor Djordje Jakovljevic and awarded to SLR. DGJ, NO, and PB receive funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101080905 and United Kingdom Research and Innovation grant award with reference No 10073472.

Funders	Funder number
Coventry University
European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme	101080905
United Kingdom Research and Innovation	10073472

Keywords

COVID-19
anaerobic threshold
arterial function
cardiovascular function
exercise tolerance
oxygen consumption
arterial stiffness

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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10.1080/14017431.2025.2468339Licence: CC BY-NC

Cite this

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title = "The effect of COVID-19 on cardiovascular function and exercise tolerance in healthy middle-age and older individuals",

abstract = "Aims: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can affect cardiovascular function in health and disease. The present study assessed the effect of prior COVID-19 infection on cardiovascular phenotype at rest and in response to exercise in middle age and older individuals.Methods: This case-control, single-centre study recruited 124 participants: 84 with a history of COVID-19 (59.9 ± 7.41 years, 54.8% female) and 40 participants without history of COVID-19 infection (62.8 ± 7.14 years, 62.5% female). All participants underwent non-invasive assessment of arterial function using pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (Alx) and hemodynamic function (i.e., cardiac index (CI), stroke volume index (SVI), heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP)) at rest. Cardiopulmonary exercise stress testing with simultaneous gas exchange and hemodynamic (bioreactance) measurements was also performed.Results: There were no differences between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 groups in PWV (COVID-19: 7.52 ± 1.66 m/s, non-COVID-19: 7.32 ± 1.79 m/s, p = 0.440); Alx (COVID-19: 29.2 ± 9.12%, non-COVID-19: 29.2 ± 8.44%, p = 0.980); CI (COVID-19: 2.85 ± 0.39 L/min/m2, non-COVID-19: 2.79 ± 0.37 L/min/m2, p = 0.407); SVI (COVID-19: 46.5 ± 7.54 mL/m2, non-COVID-19: 47.0 ± 7.59 mL/m2, p = 0.776), HR (COVID-19: 62.3 ± 10.6 beats/min, Non-COVID-19: 60.2 ± 8.52 beats/min, p = 0.263), or MAP (COVID-19: 98.1 ± 11.2 mmHg, non-COVID-19: 96.6 ± 9.46 mmHg, p = 0.464). COVID-19 participants however demonstrated lower O2 consumption at anaerobic threshold (15.5 ± 4.25 vs 16.8 ± 4.51 mL/kg/m2, p = 0.034), peak cardiac index (10.4 ± 2.3 vs 11.3 ± 2.5 L/min/m2, p = 0.040) and peak stroke volume index (82.1 ± 25.3 vs 98.6 ± 37.6 mL/m2, p = 0.028).Conclusion: Healthy middle-age and older individuals with history COVID-19 infection demonstrate reduced exercise tolerance and cardiac function response to exercise.",

keywords = "COVID-19, anaerobic threshold, arterial function, cardiovascular function, exercise tolerance, oxygen consumption, arterial stiffness ",

author = "Russell, {Sophie L.} and Nduka Okwose and Mushidur Rahman and Ben Lee and Gordon McGregor and Stuart Raleigh and Hardip Sandhu and Roden, {Laura Catherine} and Prithwish Banerjee and Djordje Jakovljevic",

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doi = "10.1080/14017431.2025.2468339",

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T1 - The effect of COVID-19 on cardiovascular function and exercise tolerance in healthy middle-age and older individuals

AU - Russell, Sophie L.

AU - Okwose, Nduka

AU - Rahman, Mushidur

AU - Lee, Ben

AU - McGregor, Gordon

AU - Raleigh, Stuart

AU - Sandhu, Hardip

AU - Roden, Laura Catherine

AU - Banerjee, Prithwish

AU - Jakovljevic, Djordje

PY - 2025/2/14

Y1 - 2025/2/14

N2 - Aims: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can affect cardiovascular function in health and disease. The present study assessed the effect of prior COVID-19 infection on cardiovascular phenotype at rest and in response to exercise in middle age and older individuals.Methods: This case-control, single-centre study recruited 124 participants: 84 with a history of COVID-19 (59.9 ± 7.41 years, 54.8% female) and 40 participants without history of COVID-19 infection (62.8 ± 7.14 years, 62.5% female). All participants underwent non-invasive assessment of arterial function using pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (Alx) and hemodynamic function (i.e., cardiac index (CI), stroke volume index (SVI), heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP)) at rest. Cardiopulmonary exercise stress testing with simultaneous gas exchange and hemodynamic (bioreactance) measurements was also performed.Results: There were no differences between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 groups in PWV (COVID-19: 7.52 ± 1.66 m/s, non-COVID-19: 7.32 ± 1.79 m/s, p = 0.440); Alx (COVID-19: 29.2 ± 9.12%, non-COVID-19: 29.2 ± 8.44%, p = 0.980); CI (COVID-19: 2.85 ± 0.39 L/min/m2, non-COVID-19: 2.79 ± 0.37 L/min/m2, p = 0.407); SVI (COVID-19: 46.5 ± 7.54 mL/m2, non-COVID-19: 47.0 ± 7.59 mL/m2, p = 0.776), HR (COVID-19: 62.3 ± 10.6 beats/min, Non-COVID-19: 60.2 ± 8.52 beats/min, p = 0.263), or MAP (COVID-19: 98.1 ± 11.2 mmHg, non-COVID-19: 96.6 ± 9.46 mmHg, p = 0.464). COVID-19 participants however demonstrated lower O2 consumption at anaerobic threshold (15.5 ± 4.25 vs 16.8 ± 4.51 mL/kg/m2, p = 0.034), peak cardiac index (10.4 ± 2.3 vs 11.3 ± 2.5 L/min/m2, p = 0.040) and peak stroke volume index (82.1 ± 25.3 vs 98.6 ± 37.6 mL/m2, p = 0.028).Conclusion: Healthy middle-age and older individuals with history COVID-19 infection demonstrate reduced exercise tolerance and cardiac function response to exercise.

AB - Aims: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) can affect cardiovascular function in health and disease. The present study assessed the effect of prior COVID-19 infection on cardiovascular phenotype at rest and in response to exercise in middle age and older individuals.Methods: This case-control, single-centre study recruited 124 participants: 84 with a history of COVID-19 (59.9 ± 7.41 years, 54.8% female) and 40 participants without history of COVID-19 infection (62.8 ± 7.14 years, 62.5% female). All participants underwent non-invasive assessment of arterial function using pulse wave velocity (PWV), augmentation index (Alx) and hemodynamic function (i.e., cardiac index (CI), stroke volume index (SVI), heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP)) at rest. Cardiopulmonary exercise stress testing with simultaneous gas exchange and hemodynamic (bioreactance) measurements was also performed.Results: There were no differences between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 groups in PWV (COVID-19: 7.52 ± 1.66 m/s, non-COVID-19: 7.32 ± 1.79 m/s, p = 0.440); Alx (COVID-19: 29.2 ± 9.12%, non-COVID-19: 29.2 ± 8.44%, p = 0.980); CI (COVID-19: 2.85 ± 0.39 L/min/m2, non-COVID-19: 2.79 ± 0.37 L/min/m2, p = 0.407); SVI (COVID-19: 46.5 ± 7.54 mL/m2, non-COVID-19: 47.0 ± 7.59 mL/m2, p = 0.776), HR (COVID-19: 62.3 ± 10.6 beats/min, Non-COVID-19: 60.2 ± 8.52 beats/min, p = 0.263), or MAP (COVID-19: 98.1 ± 11.2 mmHg, non-COVID-19: 96.6 ± 9.46 mmHg, p = 0.464). COVID-19 participants however demonstrated lower O2 consumption at anaerobic threshold (15.5 ± 4.25 vs 16.8 ± 4.51 mL/kg/m2, p = 0.034), peak cardiac index (10.4 ± 2.3 vs 11.3 ± 2.5 L/min/m2, p = 0.040) and peak stroke volume index (82.1 ± 25.3 vs 98.6 ± 37.6 mL/m2, p = 0.028).Conclusion: Healthy middle-age and older individuals with history COVID-19 infection demonstrate reduced exercise tolerance and cardiac function response to exercise.

KW - COVID-19

KW - anaerobic threshold

KW - arterial function

KW - cardiovascular function

KW - exercise tolerance

KW - oxygen consumption

KW - arterial stiffness

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DO - 10.1080/14017431.2025.2468339

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VL - 59

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The effect of COVID-19 on cardiovascular function and exercise tolerance in healthy middle-age and older individuals

Abstract

Data Availability Statement

Acknowledgements

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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