Decreased Coronary Flow Reserve Measured with Doppler Flow Wire Technique Was Associated with Stenotic Myocardial Microvasculopathy in Pediatric Patients after Heart Transplantation

Purpose Stenotic myocardial microvasculopathy (MVP) has been shown to impact the long term survival after heart transplantation (HTx). We hypothesized that Coronary Flow Reserve (CFR) measured with doppler flow wire technique might be correlated with histologically defined stenotic MVP after HTx in pediatric population. Methods and Materials Between January 2000 and November 2012, patients aged Results 25 patients (male: 12, average month at HTx, 108±79 months) underwent 127 EBM (average duration after HTx, 52 ±35 months). Of those CFR was measured concomitantly in 71 studies. Average CFR was 2.1 ± 1.4. Of 71 specimens, 36 were defined as stenotic. CFR was significantly lower in stenotic group compared with non stenotic group (1.5 ± 0.3 versus 2.7 ±0.8; P=0.041). Conclusions Coronary Flow Reserve measured with DFW might be effective in clarifying the myocardial microvasculopathy in patients after pediatric HTx.