title: Exercise blod flow and microvascualr distensibility in skeletal muscle normalize after heart transplantation.
abstract: This study investigated the effect of heart transplantation (HTX) on reduced exercise blood flow and microvascular stiffness in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Skeletal muscle blood flow (SMBF) during graded maximal supine bicycle exercise and microvascular distensibility (i.e., stiffness) were measured in musculus tibialis anterior by the isotope washout method. Measurements were performed in a cross-sectional study with 31 CHF patients and 28 patients, mean 9 months after HTX, and in a longitudinal study in 12 CHF patients before, 3 months, and 14 months after HTX, and in 31 healthy controls. Maximal SMBF: In the cross-sectional study, maximal SMBF was reduced in severe CHF patients (3.6 +/- 2.5 mL (100 g min)(-1)) and increased after HTX (7.7 +/- 4.8; p < 0.01 versus controls (11 +/- 4.1). Maximal SMBF was reduced in CHF patients (5.8 +/- 4.0) and reversed to normalization 3 months after HTX (10.3 +/- 4.4) in the longitudinal study. Microvascular distensibility: The distensibility was reduced (severe CHF, 12 +/- 8%; moderate CHF, 23 +/- 14%) in the cross-sectional study and increased after HTX towards normalization (38 +/-20%; controls: 44 +/- 17). In the longitudinal study, distensibility in CHF patients (14 +/- 6%) increased gradually to 32 +/- 12% (p < 0.005) at 3 months and normalized 14 months after HTX (46 +/- 17%). HTX gradually reversed the reduced SMBF and microvascular distensibility in CHF patients towards normalization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine B, The Heart Center, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Denmark.
authors.forename: V B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Sørensen
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wroblewski
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galatius
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Haunsø
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kastrup
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002302:Cardiac Output; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004548:Elasticity; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D014655:Vascular Resistance