Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Feb 26, 2026 1 hour, 41 minutes ago
Medical News: A new study is raising concerns that people who have recovered from COVID-19 may continue to face hidden heart risks months after the infection appears to be over. Researchers have found that ongoing low-grade inflammation and damage to blood vessel function could increase the likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation, a common and potentially dangerous heart rhythm disorder.
Lingering inflammation after COVID-19 may quietly increase the risk of dangerous heart rhythm disorders months later
The study was conducted by scientists from the “Victor Babes” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Timisoara, Romania; the “Vasile Goldis” Western University of Arad, Romania; and the CFR Clinical Hospital in Timisoara, Romania. Their findings shed light on how COVID-19 may leave a long-lasting mark on the cardiovascular system.
What the Researchers Investigated
The research team examined 198 adults. Half of them had recovered from COVID-19 three to six months earlier, while the other half had never had the infection. Both groups were matched for age and gender to ensure a fair comparison.
At the beginning of the study, doctors measured several blood markers linked to inflammation and blood clotting. They also assessed the health of blood vessels using a test called flow-mediated dilation, or FMD. This test checks how well an artery can expand when blood flow increases, which reflects how healthy the inner lining of blood vessels, known as the endothelium, is.
Participants also underwent 24-hour heart rhythm monitoring to detect atrial fibrillation, often called AF, a condition where the heart beats irregularly and sometimes rapidly.
Striking Differences in Inflammation and Vessel Health
The results were clear. People who had recovered from COVID-19 had significantly higher levels of inflammation markers such as C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, fibrinogen, D-dimer, and interleukin-6. These substances are often elevated when the body is fighting infection or experiencing ongoing inflammation.
At the same time, their blood vessel function was much worse. The average FMD value in the post-COVID group was 7.72 percent, compared to 13.72 percent in those who never had COVID-19. Lower FMD values indicate poorer endothelial function, meaning the blood vessels are less able to relax properly.
The researchers found strong links between higher inflammation levels and worse blood vessel performance. For example, erythrocyte sedimentation rate alone explained nearly 63 percent of the variation in FMD results. In simple terms, the more inflamed the body was, the more impaired the blood vessels appeared to be.
This
Medical News report highlights that such persistent inflammation may not just be a laboratory finding but could translate into real heart rhythm problems over time.
Atrial Fibrillation Risk at One Year
At the start of the study, atrial fibrillation rates were similar in both groups. However, after 12 months, a difference emerged. About 32 percent of post-COVID participants had AF detected on 24-hour monitoring, compared to 21 percent in the control group.
When researchers looked more closely, they divided participants into four groups based on their inflammation levels, using the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio. In both the post-COVID and control groups, those in the highest inflammation category were far more likely to develop atrial fibrillation over the year. In the post-COVID group, AF rose from 8 percent in the lowest inflammation group to 60 percent in the highest.
Even after adjusting for other factors such as age, high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, cholesterol problems, and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, having had COVID-19 was independently associated with a higher risk of atrial fibrillation at 12 months.
Why This Matters
Atrial fibrillation can increase the risk of stroke, heart failure, and other serious complications. The study suggests that COVID-19 may create a lingering inflammatory and blood vessel environment that makes the heart more vulnerable to rhythm disturbances.
The researchers caution that their study was observational and conducted at a single center, so it does not prove that COVID-19 directly causes atrial fibrillation. However, the consistent pattern linking inflammation, poor blood vessel function, and later AF provides a strong signal that deserves further investigation.
Conclusion
In summary, this study shows that people recovering from COVID-19 may continue to have elevated inflammation and impaired blood vessel function months after infection. These changes appear to be linked to a higher burden of atrial fibrillation one year later. While more large-scale studies are needed, the findings suggest that monitoring heart rhythm and managing cardiovascular risk factors carefully in post-COVID patients could be crucial in preventing long-term complications. Persistent low-grade inflammation and endothelial dysfunction may represent an important pathway connecting COVID-19 to future heart rhythm disorders.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed Journal of Clinical Medicine.
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/15/5/1750
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Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/coronavirus
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/long-covid
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