Impaired Endothelial Glycocalyx Predicts Adverse Outcome in Subjects Without Overt Cardiovascular Disease: a 6-Year Follow-up Study

Myocardial work and vascular dysfunction are partially improved at 12 months after COVID‐19 infection

“…Carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity (PWVc‐f) and central systolic blood pressure (SBPcentral) are reliable markers of aortic elastic properties and have been suggested as valuable prognostic markers for cardiovascular events 4 . Glycocalyx damage, as assessed by perfused boundary region (PBR5–25) of sublingual microvessel, impaired artery flow‐mediated dilatation (FMD) and coronary flow reserve (CFR) may represent early manifestations of endothelial dysfunction with prognostic value 5,6 . Left and right ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) and myocardial work indices permit early detection of subclinical myocardial deformation 7 …”

“…Furthermore, COVID‐19 patients at 12 months after infection presented greater values of PBR and similar values of PWV compared to 4 months and higher than controls indicating persistence of endothelial and vascular derangement 1 year after the infection. According to research data, increased arterial stiffness and endothelial glycocalyx damage have been associated with adverse cardiovascular events 4,6 …”

“…4 Glycocalyx damage, as assessed by perfused boundary region (PBR5-25) of sublingual microvessel, impaired artery flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) and coronary flow reserve (CFR) may represent early manifestations of endothelial dysfunction with prognostic value. 5,6 Left and right ventricular global longitudinal strain (GLS) and myocardial work indices permit early detection of subclinical myocardial deformation. 7 In our previous study, 8 COVID-19 patients displayed impaired endothelial function, aortic elasticity, CFR and myocardial deformation 4 months after COVID-19 infection compared to healthy controls with similar age, sex and risk factors.…”

Apremilast Improves Endothelial Glycocalyx Integrity, Vascular and Left Ventricular Myocardial Function in Psoriasis

“…In vivo evaluation of the perfused boundary region (PBR, µm) of the sublingual microvasculature was performed with a Sidestream Dark Field (SDF) camera (Microscan, GlycoCheck, Microvascular Health Solutions Inc., Salt Lake City, UT, USA). The SDF camera uses green light-emitting diode (540 nm) to detect the hemoglobin of circulating red blood cells (RBCs) within the microvessels [9]. It is inserted under the tongue and captures >3000 microvessels segments with a lumen diameter ranging from 5 to 25 µm.…”

“…Pathophysiological conditions such as inflammation and increased oxidative stress are related to glycocalyx degradation resulting in endothelial dysfunction [5]. Damage of the glycocalyx integrity was proposed to promote early atherogenic processes [6][7][8] and is an independent and additive predictor to traditional risk factors for adverse outcome in subjects without overt cardiovascular disease [9].…”