Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy Is Reversible: Also in Higher Stages

Objectives: Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a crucial problem concerning the long-term prognosis after heart transplantation, in adults as well as in children. Intravascular imaging, for example optical coherence tomography (OCT) is able to detect already very early stages of this disease concerning the three layered wall of the coronary arteries. These early stages of CAV seem to be reversible with reduction of the cardiac risk factors and optimization of the immunosuppressive therapy. To what extent also higher stages of CAV can be reversible is unclear up to now.