Coronary artery intimal thickening and ventricular dynamics in pediatric heart transplant recipients
Anita T. Cote1,2, Martin Hosking3, Christine Voss1,3, Derek G. Human3, George G. S. Sandor1,3, Kevin C. Harris1,3
Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.5, pp. 663-670, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12629
Abstract Objective: Pediatric heart transplant recipients are at risk of posttransplant coronary
artery disease known as cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV), and also may develop
diastolic dysfunction. As CAV begins with a process of progressive intimal thickening,
these occult diffuse changes may be detected using optical coherence tomography
(OCT). We hypothesized that the development of CAV, as identified via OCT, may be
a mechanism of declining ventricular function. Accordingly, the purpose of this study
was to assess coronary artery intimal thickening and LV strain in children who have
undergone heart transplantation.
Methods: In 17 children, we analyzed OCT images… More >