Long COVID remains a significant health concern, particularly in relation to cardiovascular disease (CVD). While associations between COVID-19 and hypertension have been established, the association between long COVID and hypertension is less clearly established. Central blood pressure (CBP), which is closely linked to arterial stiffness (AS), is regarded as a more robust and physiologically meaningful predictor of CVD risk than peripheral blood pressure. However, there is a paucity of empirical evidence specifically investigating the relationships among long COVID, central systolic blood pressure (CSBP), and validated measures of AS. Determining whether individuals with a prior history of COVID-19 infection exhibit measurable differences in these vascular parameters compared with matched controls may provide important insights into the potential long-term cardiovascular consequences of long COVID. Therefore, this study aimed to compare CSBP and indices of AS—carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and the augmentation index normalized to a heart rate of 75 beats∙min−1 (AIx@75)—between young, otherwise healthy men with previous COVID-19 and non-infected controls. CSBP and AIx@75 were assessed using applanation tonometry. Measures were compared between 20 young men with prior COVID-19 and 22 matched controls. Given the application of the Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, the statistical significance threshold was adjusted to p < 0.01. Results demonstrated no significant differences in group means for CSBP (p = 0.03), cfPWV (p = 0.65), or AIx@75 (p = 0.10). Collectively, these findings suggest that, in young men who were healthy prior to infection, COVID-19 does not appear to confer an increased risk of early vascular dysfunction or elevated central hemodynamic burden.

Peter L. Latchman is a professor of physiology at Southern Connecticut State University. He earned his doctorate in applied physiology from Columbia University and is an Overseas Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. He is an internationally recognized scholar whose research focuses on elucidating the role of the autonomic nervous system in the modulation of cardiovascular function in disease states. His work has made significant contributions to understanding baroreflex sensitivity across ethnicity, gender, and disease conditions, as well as the role of arterial stiffness in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. He has authored numerous peer-reviewed publications in leading scientific journals and serves as a reviewer for multiple high-impact journals, in addition to contributing as a scholarly book reviewer. He has presented his work across four continents and has received international recognition for his contributions to cardiovascular physiology. He has also been invited to share his expertise through multiple television interviews highlighting his research findings, underscoring the broader impact and relevance of his work. He has guided several international graduate students as a thesis advisor, fostering excellence in research, critical thinking, and scientific communication. In addition to his academic and research leadership, he is an active member of several prestigious learned societies and professional organizations in physiology and cardiovascular science. His current work focuses on elucidating the association between central blood pressure and disease, with particular emphasis on its role in early detection and cardiovascular risk stratification. Through his scholarship, he continues to bridge fundamental research and clinical application, with a sustained commitment to advancing cardiovascular health outcomes on a global scale.