New Coronavirus Directly Infects Coronary Atherosclerotic Plaques: Study Results and Implications

[Voice of Hope November 13, 2023](Editor: Li Wenhan) Recently, a US study published as a preprint confirmed for the first time that the new coronavirus can directly infect coronary atherosclerotic plaques and produce a sustained inflammatory response.

In this study, researchers analyzed human autopsy tissue samples from the coronary artery walls of patients who died early from COVID-19.

Researchers found accumulation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in coronary atherosclerotic plaques, especially in the lipid-rich macrophage foam cells in the plaques.

Atherosclerotic plaque (pixabay)

This also conclusively shows that the new coronavirus can infect and replicate in macrophages in coronary blood vessels. And foam cells may be reservoirs of viral fragments in atherosclerotic plaques.

The researchers suggest that the virus targets lipid-rich macrophages in atherosclerotic lesions, where the virus persists or is responsible for long-term, low-level inflammation in the vasculature.

In in vitro experiments, researchers also observed that atherosclerotic tissue can be directly infected by the virus and can also induce a strong inflammatory response including interleukins IL-6 and IL-1β.

Many studies have shown that patients infected with the new coronavirus have a higher risk of myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome and stroke for up to 1 year after infection. The current study undoubtedly adds to the annotation of the long-term existence of this risk, and also adds new treatment directions.

Influenza viruses are also associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events, but so far there is no evidence of a direct impact on coronary arteries like the new coronavirus, researchers said. However, this discovery of the new coronavirus may lead to the possibility of studying influenza viruses.

CCP coronavirus (pixabay)

China’s expert consensus on myocardial injury, myocarditis and post-infectious state management related to new coronavirus infection also pointed out that the risk of cardiovascular events increases significantly after new coronavirus infection. Because atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease, and inflammation can promote the progression of atherosclerosis. Therefore, COVID-19 infection should be considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

One study showed that between 1 and 12 months after infection, the risk of composite endpoints including myocardial infarction, stroke and all-cause death increased by 55%, and the burden of cardiovascular events increased by 23.48 cases per 1,000 people.

Editor in charge: Li Zhi

This article or program was edited and produced by Voice of Hope. When reprinting, please indicate Voice of Hope and include the original title and link.

2023-11-13 11:11:39

#American #research #coronavirus #infect #plaques #promote #inflammatory #response #coronavirus #infects #coronary #atherosclerotic #plaques #Produces #sustained #inflammatory #response