Myocardial perfusion reserve of kidney transplant patients is well preserved

Abstract

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with endothelial dysfunction and increased cardiovascular mortality. Endothelial dysfunction can be studied measuring myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR). MPR is the ratio of stress and rest myocardial perfusion (MP) and reflects the capacity of vascular bed to increase perfusion and microvascular responsiveness. In this pilot study, our aim was to assess MPR of 19 patients with kidney transplant (CKD stages 2-3) and of ten healthy controls with quantitative [ 15 O]H 2 O positron emission tomography (PET) method. Results: Basal MP was statistically significantly higher at rest in the kidney transplant patients than in the healthy controls [1.3 (0.4) ml/min/g and 1.0 (0.2) ml/min/g, respectively, p = 0.0015]. After correction of basal MP by cardiac workload [MP corr = basal MP/individual rate pressure product (RPP) × average RPP of the healthy controls], the difference between the groups disappeared [0.9 (0.2) ml/min/g and 1.0 (0.3) ml/min/g, respectively, p = 0.55)]. There was no difference in stress MP between the kidney transplant patients and the healthy subjects [3.8 (1.0) ml/min/g and 4.0 (0.9) ml/min/g, respectively, p = 0.53]. Although MPR was reduced, MPR corr (stress MP/basal MP corr ) did not differ between the kidney transplant patients and the healthy controls [4.1 (1.1) and 4.3 (1.6), respectively, p = 0.8].Conclusions: MP during stress is preserved in kidney transplant patients with CKD stage 2-3. The reduced MPR appears to be explained by increased resting MP. This is likely linked with increased cardiac workload due to sympathetic overactivation in kidney transplant patients.

Clinical Evaluation Tool for Vascular Health–Endothelial Function and Cardiovascular Disease Management

“…Oxygen-15-labeled water is a freely diffusible and metabolically inert tracer. Myocardial perfusion reserve (MPR) is clinically assessed by quantitative [O-15]H 2 O PET to reflect the ability of the vascular bed to increase perfusion and microvascular responsiveness [ 20 ]. Moreover, 13 N-ammonia PET imaging, which measures MBF, is used to assess improvements in microvascular function [ 21 ].…”