The Effects of Eight Weeks of Heat Therapy on Arterial Stiffness in Individuals with Long COVID

Presenter

Triantafyllia Siokas

Campus

UMass Amherst

Sponsor

Gwenael Layec, Department of Kinesiology, UMass Amherst

Schedule

Session 4, 2:30 PM - 3:15 PM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board A78, Campus Center Auditorium, Row 4 (A61-A80) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with persistent physical sequelae including vascular endothelial dysfunction and increased arterial stiffness, which are both important predictors for the development of cardiovascular disease and mortality risks. However, the physical rehabilitation of patients with persistent sequelae from SARS-CoV-2 is complicated by poor exercise tolerance and autonomic dysregulation, which are common in patients with post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (PACS). Interestingly, heat exposure, which increases core temperature, elicits an increase in conduit vessel endothelial shear stress, believed to trigger long-term improvements in vascular function. A study on healthy sedentary individuals found that passive heat therapy results in increases in endothelium-dependent dilatation and reductions in arterial stiffness. The purpose of our study was therefore to examine whether a heat-therapy intervention would affect arterial stiffness and vascular endothelial function in PACS patients. Participants of the study completed pre- and post-intervention visits, where arterial stiffness was measured from the pulse wave velocity (PWV) between the carotid and femoral arteries, after an 8-week intervention of 5, 40 minute of lower limb heat therapy sessions per week. Post-intervention, we found that all participants had a decrease in PWV, suggesting improved arterial stiffness (Δ1.6±1.5 cm∙s-1, p=0.043). However, vascular endothelial function measured by flow-mediated dilation in brachial arteries was not significantly affected, suggesting arterial remodeling might have mediated the effects of heat therapy in these patients. Together, these data confirm the potential of heat therapy in the treatment of patients experiencing long-term vascular dysfunction secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Keywords

Covid-19, rehabilitation , vascular, intervention

Research Area

Medical Sciences

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