CAV results in diffuse concentric intimal thickening of the epicardial vessels affecting both the proximal and distal vessels as well as the microcirculation.3 This progressive luminal narrowing and loss of vasodilatory capacity culminates in myocardial ischemia and contractile dysfunction. Immunemediated injury plays a significant role in the development of epicardial vessel stenosis in addition to traditional risk factors. 4 Clinical symptoms such as angina are typically absent in cases of CAV because of allograft denervation, and therefore annual screening is used in most centers.Recent guidelines recommend periodic invasive coronary angiography for at least the first 3 to 5 years after transplantation. 5 However, this is inconvenient and adds risk. Hence, many centers have elected to monitor patients with noninvasive testing, but this strategy may be suboptimal because of the lower sensitivity for the detection of early CAV. 6,7 Rubidium-82 (Rb-82) positron emission tomography (PET) myocardial perfusion imaging is a noninvasive imaging modality that has the ability to quantify myocardial blood flow (MBF) 8 and has been shown to have prognostic value in patients being assessed for ischemia.9-11 This technique may facilitate earlier detection of CAV and thus may have prognostic value in HT patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of Rb-82 PET in patients with a history of HT.Background-Cardiac allograft vasculopathy is a key prognostic determinant after heart transplant. Detection and risk stratification of patients with cardiac allograft vasculopathy are problematic. Positron emission tomography using rubidium-82 allows quantification of absolute myocardial blood flow and may have utility for risk stratification in this population. Methods and Results-Patients with a history of heart transplant undergoing dipyridamole rubidium-82 positron emission tomography were prospectively enrolled. Myocardial perfusion and left ventricular ejection fraction were recorded. Absolute flow quantification at rest and after dipyridamole stress as well as the ratio of mean global flow at stress and at rest, termed myocardial flow reserve, were calculated. Patients were followed for all-cause death, acute coronary syndrome, and heart failure hospitalization. A total of 140 patients (81% men; median age, 62 years; median follow-up, 18.2 months) were included. There were 14 events during follow-up (9 deaths, 1 acute coronary syndrome, and 4 heart failure admissions). In addition to baseline clinical variables (estimated glomerular filtration rate, previously documented cardiac allograft vasculopathy), relative perfusion defects, mean myocardial flow reserve, and mean stress myocardial blood flow were significant predictors of adverse outcome. Conclusions-Abnormalities on rubidium-82 positron emission tomography were predictors of adverse events in heart transplant patients. Larger prospective studies are required to confirm these findings. (Circ Cardiovasc Imaging. 2014;7:930-937.)
The number of positive FDG PET and CMR studies was different in patients with CSD depending on their clinical presentation. This study demonstrated that CMR can adequately detect cardiac involvement associated with chronic mild CSD. In patients presenting with new-onset AVB and a negative CMR study, FDG PET may be useful for detecting cardiac involvement due to CS.
Women receive less complete multiple arterial coronary revascularization than men. This is likely related to later presentation of coronary artery disease in women with higher comorbidity profiles; however, when matched, bias may still exist limiting the option of grafting with 3 arteries to women.
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