Understanding whether the lung and heart damage produced by Covid-19 are permanent and what are the biochemical mechanisms underlying these effects: this is the aim of a European multicenter study coordinated by the University of Paris-Descartes, in which the Niguarda hospital in Milan. Cardiovascular complications of new coronavirus infection include acute coronary syndrome, pulmonary thromboembolism, myocarditis and the potential arrhythmic effects of medical treatment.
"A hot spot is that of the long-term effects in the survivors of the infection - observes Alessandro Maloberti, one of the researchers - Unfortunately it is not yet clear whether there will be permanent damage to the lung, heart and vascular level". The need to research what has happened and the long-term effects has prompted Niguarda to create a special research group - Niguarda COVID Research Group - which will have to collect data on the approximately 1000 Covid-19 patients followed by the hospital. The Cardiocenter del Niguarda, supported by the De Gasperis foundation, is studying the biochemical mechanisms underlying cardio-vascular damage, the mediators of inflammation and the role of the spike protein, which opens the way for the virus in the human cell.
"From the beginning of the pandemic, it became clear how little information was available and how much was needed, especially if there should be a second wave in the next months," continues Maloberti. Niguarda scholars will evaluate heart rate as a marker of cardiac regulation by the central nervous system and its variations in hospitalization and subsequent follow-up, and the response of the cardiac and vascular system to the cytokine and inflammatory storm determined by the infection, which could cause stiffening of the vessels and tissue of the heart.