{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,31]],"date-time":"2026-08-31T19:55:10Z","timestamp":1788206110526,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":88,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,30]],"date-time":"2025-08-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1756512000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Viruses"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory condition that underlies both cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications. Emerging evidence suggests that COVID-19 may play a role in its progression. Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the potential impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the development of atherosclerosis. Patients and Methods: Common carotid artery (CCA) intima media thickness (IMT) was measured by ultrasonography twice, 12\u201318 months apart, in a cohort of 92 patients (47 with COVID-19 and 45 controls). Clinical data were collected from medical histories, physical examinations, and laboratory findings. Results: Baseline IMT values were comparable between the study groups (0.85 mm vs. 0.78 mm). However, the COVID-19 group exhibited a significantly greater increase in IMT over time, with a median change of 0.13 mm compared to 0.05 mm in the controls (p = 0.018). Furthermore, 69.2% of COVID-19 patients exceeded the median IMT progression threshold compared to 36% in the control group (p = 0.017). An elevated level of C-reactive protein (CRP) and a higher triglyceride (Tg)-to-High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol (HDL) ratio were significantly associated with increased IMT in the COVID-19 group. Age and heart rate were identified as significant predictors of IMT progression across both groups. Conclusions: COVID-19 may accelerate the progression of subclinical atherosclerosis. The strong associations of CRP and the TG\/HDL ratio with IMT highlight the potential roles of chronic inflammation and metabolic dysregulation in driving these vascular changes. Further large-scale, multicenter studies are needed to elucidate the underlying mechanisms, confirm these observations, and guide targeted preventive and therapeutic strategies for individuals with an increased cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/v17091196","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,1]],"date-time":"2025-09-01T08:28:15Z","timestamp":1756715295000},"page":"1196","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["From Systemic Inflammation to Vascular Remodeling: Investigating Carotid IMT in COVID-19 Survivors"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9753-6252","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emilia","family":"Bielecka","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine and Hypertension, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-089 Bialystok, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Piotr","family":"Sielatycki","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine and Hypertension, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-089 Bialystok, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Paulina","family":"Pietraszko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine and Hypertension, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-089 Bialystok, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sara Anna","family":"Frankowska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine and Hypertension, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-089 Bialystok, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0121-3254","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Edyta","family":"Zbroch","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Internal Medicine and Hypertension, Medical University of Bialystok, 15-089 Bialystok, Poland"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,8,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"1203","article-title":"Pathophysiology of Hypertension","volume":"67","author":"Harrison","year":"2016","journal-title":"Hypertension"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"827","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amjmed.2011.04.010","article-title":"The Impact of the Aging Population on Coronary Heart Disease in the United States","volume":"124","author":"Odden","year":"2011","journal-title":"Am. 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