Cardiac Autonomic Function and Pulmonary Function in Hypertensive Individuals Post Mild COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study

Ádrya Aryelle Ferreira1, Raphael Martins de Abreu2, PEDRO I L RORIZ3, Joice De Souza Batista4, CAMILA ALMEIDA SA3, Matheus Sobral Silveira3, Antônio Marconi Leandro da Silva3, Gerlene Grudka Lira3, Tereza Aparecida Costa Braga1, Paulo Adriano Schwingel5, Armele Dornelas de Andrade6, Fabianne MDNA Dantas3, Victor Ribeiro Neves7
1Universidade de Pernambuco - Campus Petrolina, 2LUNEX University of Applied Sciences, 3UNIVERSIDADE DE PERNAMBUCO, 4UNIVERSIDADE DE PERNAMBUCO CAMPUS PETROLINA, 5Universidade de Pernambuco (UPE), 6Federal University of Pernambuco, 7Brazilian


Abstract

The long-term impact of COVID-19 on cardiac autonomic function and pulmonary function in patients with systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) was evaluated in a cross-sectional study with 52 individuals of both sexes, aged between 40 and 75 years, with or without a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Participants were allocated into two groups based on their COVID-19 history: Group 1 (G1-; n=25) individuals with SAH without a confirmed history of SARS-CoV-2 infection; Group 2 (G2+; n=27) individuals with SAH with a confirmed diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection for at least six and maximum 18 months, who had mild symptoms of COVID-19, without the need for hospital admission, whether in a ward or ICU. All volunteers underwent heart rate variability analysis using 24-hour Holter electrocardiographic monitoring, lung function was assessed by spirometry, and functional capacity (FC) was assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Worsening of lung function was revealed in SAH patients recovered from COVID-19, indicated by lower forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) FEV1/FVC, with 30% presenting restrictive disorder. However, no significant differences were found in cardiac autonomic control. A negative and moderate association was observed between VO2peak and the 0V% index, these results indicate that as functional capacity increases, sympathetic modulation during wakefulness decreases. This observation is consistently corroborated by adaptations of the cardiovascular system in favor of better FC. The findings suggest that mild COVID-19 in SAH patients may not cause significant changes in HRV in the long term. However, there is a worsening of lung function, with the presence mainly of restrictive disorder in 30% of cases.