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Progression of coronary atherosclerosis after heart transplantation on electron-beam computed tomography

Friedrich D Knollmann1, Franziska Stühmer, Hans Lehmkuhl

  • 1Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2582, USA. knollmanfd@upmc.edu

Academic Radiology
|January 7, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Coronary artery disease progression after heart transplant is slow. Statins did not show a significant benefit in reducing coronary calcium load in this study of heart transplant recipients.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Transplantation Medicine
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Cardiac transplant vasculopathy is a major long-term complication after heart transplantation.
  • It shares similarities with conventional atherosclerotic coronary artery disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the progression of coronary artery disease (CAD) post-heart transplantation.
  • To measure the total coronary calcium load as an indicator of CAD progression.

Main Methods:

  • 185 heart transplant recipients underwent serial electron-beam computed tomography (EBCT) for coronary calcium scoring.
  • Coronary calcium load was quantified using the Agatston method.
  • Calcium scores were compared between patients on statin therapy and those not.

Main Results:

  • Patients on statins showed an annualized decrease of 11 Agatston units, while those not on statins had no change (0 units).
  • This difference was not statistically significant (P = .35).
  • No significant difference in the rate of coronary calcium increase was observed between statin users and non-users.

Conclusions:

  • The annual progression rate of coronary calcium load after heart transplantation is generally low.
  • This study did not detect a beneficial effect of statins on coronary calcium progression in this patient group.
Abstract

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