Noninvasive Physiologic Assessment of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy Is Prognostic for Post-Transplant Events.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) causes impaired blood flow in both epicardial coronary arteries and the microvasculature. A leading cause of post-transplant mortality, CAV affects 50% of heart transplant recipients within 10 years of heart transplant.

Objectives

This analysis examined the outcomes of heart transplant recipients with reduced myocardial blood flow reserve (MBFR) and microvascular CAV detected by ¹³N-ammonia positron emission tomography (PET) myocardial perfusion imaging.

Methods

A total of 181 heart transplant recipients who underwent PET to assess for CAV were included with a median follow-up of 4.7 years. Patients were classified into 2 groups according to the total MBFR: >2.0 and ≤2.0. Microvascular CAV was defined as no ep

SUBMITTER: Clerkin KJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9758655 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature