American Study Alarmingly Finds That Non-Hospitalized Long COVID Patients Show Reduced Retinal Blood Flow!
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Feb 17, 2025 3 days, 10 hours, 59 minutes ago
Medical News: A New Discovery in Long COVID Research
A new study conducted by researchers from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine-USA and the Medical College of Wisconsin-USA has uncovered an important link between long COVID and reduced blood flow in the eyes. This
Medical News report focuses on a condition known as Neuro-PASC, a neurological subset of long COVID, and how it affects the tiny blood vessels in the retina.
American Study Alarmingly Finds That Non-Hospitalized Long COVID
Patients Show Reduced Retinal Blood Flow
The research team found that non-hospitalized long COVID patients experience a decrease in the density of small blood vessels in the deep capillary plexus (DCP) of the retina. This finding is significant because the eyes provide a non-invasive way to study the health of the body’s smallest blood vessels, which could reflect broader vascular issues caused by long COVID.
Understanding Long COVID and Its Impact on the Body
Long COVID, also known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC), refers to a condition where individuals continue to experience symptoms long after recovering from the initial infection. Symptoms can include brain fog, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, and even visual disturbances. While many studies have examined the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the lungs and heart, the impact on small blood vessels and the nervous system is still being explored.
In this latest study, researchers sought to understand how long COVID affects the retinal microvasculature, particularly in individuals who did not require hospitalization during their initial infection. The team used a cutting-edge imaging technique called Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCT-A) to analyze the blood flow in the eyes of long COVID patients compared to healthy individuals.
Key Findings of the Study
The study included 30 patients diagnosed with Neuro-PASC and 44 healthy controls. The researchers focused on three important measures:
-Foveal Avascular Zone (FAZ): The central area in the retina without blood vessels.
-Vessel Density (VD): The proportion of the retina covered by blood vessels.
-Vessel Length Density (VLD): The total length of small blood vessels in a given area.
The most significant finding was that long COVID patients showed a marked decrease in the vessel length density of the deep capillary plexus. This reduction indicates that long COVID could be causing lasting damage to the smallest blood vessels in the retina. Importantly, there was no significant difference in the FAZ or the vessel density of the superficial capillary plexus, suggesting that the smallest blood vessels are most affected.
The Link Between Retinal Blood Flow and Neurological Symptoms
The study
suggests that the decline in blood flow in the retina could be a reflection of similar changes occurring in the brain. Previous research has shown that reduced blood supply to the brain can contribute to cognitive issues such as brain fog and memory problems, which are commonly reported by long COVID patients.
While brain MRI studies have yet to show conclusive evidence of widespread vascular damage in long COVID patients, the eye provides a more sensitive way to detect microvascular changes. Because the retina shares similarities with brain tissue, researchers believe that studying retinal blood flow could offer insights into how long COVID affects the nervous system.
Possible Causes of Retinal Microvascular Changes
Scientists believe that the reduction in retinal blood flow in long COVID patients could be due to several factors, including:
-Ongoing Inflammation: Long COVID has been linked to persistent immune system activation, which can cause damage to small blood vessels.
-Endothelial Dysfunction: The cells that line blood vessels may be impaired, leading to poor circulation.
-Persistent Viral Particles: Some studies suggest that fragments of the SARS-CoV-2 virus may linger in the body, continuing to trigger harmful immune responses.
Implications for Long COVID Diagnosis and Treatment
The findings of this study suggest that retinal imaging could be used as a diagnostic tool to assess microvascular health in long COVID patients. OCT-A is a quick, non-invasive method that could help identify individuals at risk of long-term complications.
Furthermore, the study raises important questions about whether treatments aimed at improving blood vessel health could benefit long COVID patients. Therapies that promote vascular function, such as anti-inflammatory drugs, blood flow enhancers, or lifestyle changes like exercise and diet, could be explored as potential interventions.
What Comes Next
While this research provides valuable insights, more studies are needed to confirm these findings and determine whether retinal blood vessel changes improve over time or persist indefinitely. Future research should also investigate whether these changes are associated with the severity of long COVID symptoms and whether they can be reversed with treatment.
The team at Northwestern University and the Medical College of Wisconsin hopes to expand their research to include a larger group of long COVID patients and explore additional ways to measure microvascular health.
Conclusion
The discovery that long COVID can lead to reduced blood flow in the small vessels of the retina adds to the growing body of evidence that the condition affects multiple organ systems. By using advanced imaging techniques like OCT-A, researchers have provided new insights into the vascular complications of long COVID.
This study highlights the importance of continued research into long COVID and its lasting effects on the body. While much remains unknown, these findings bring us one step closer to understanding the mechanisms behind long COVID and developing targeted treatments.
The study findings were published in the peer-reviewed journal: Journal of Imaging.
https://www.mdpi.com/2313-433X/11/2/62
For the latest Long COVID News, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/cerebromicrovascular-health-and-long-covid
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-damages-human-blood-vessels
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-causes-vascular-fibrosis-and-vascular-remodelling
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