title: Utility of biochemical markers in the follow-up of heart transplant recipients.
abstract: Endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) is currently the standard method to diagnose acute graft rejection. However, considering the potential complications of this procedure, a noninvasive marker of rejection would be an ideal alternative or at least a helpful adjunct to posttransplant management. We measured myoglobin (Myo), creatine kinase MB mass (CK-MBm), troponin T (cTnT), serum amyloid A (SAA), and C-reactive protein (CRP) in 57 patients (mean age 37.5 years) who underwent orthotopic heart transplantation for end-stage cardiac failure between January and December 2001.Endomyocardial biopsies were performed routinely after surgery and histologically diagnosed rejection was graded according to the criteria of the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation. Concomittant with the biopsies, blood samples were drawn from the coronary sinus (central blood samples) and from a peripheral vein (peripheral blood samples) to assay biochemical markers. Among 149 EMB evaluated, 87 were negative (grade 0); 28 showed grade 1a rejection; 26 showed grade 1b; and 8 showed grade > 1b (2 were grade 2, 6 were grade 3a). Grades 0 and 1a were considered to be negative, while grades 1b and >1b were considered positive indicating potential acute graft rejection. cTnT, Myo, CK-MBm, SAA, and CRP levels were measured in 149 central blood samples and 149 peripheral blood samples. Myo and CK-MBm did not show significant changes. cTnT seems to be a potentially useful addition to the EMB results, while SAA and CRP showed variations with respect to EMB grade both in central and peripheral samples.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnology Research and Clinical Chemistry Laboratories, Department of Biochemistry, University of Pavia, IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, Piazzale Golgi 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Balduini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campana
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ceresa
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arbustini
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bosoni
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Serio
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tinelli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Viganò
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Melzi D'Eril
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tavazzi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moratti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Merlini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000032:analysis; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D001706:Biopsy; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003331:Coronary Vessels; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000601:surgery; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000097:blood; D009211:Myoglobin / Q000097:blood; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000032:analysis; D020107:Troponin T / Q000097:blood; D014680:Veins
chemical_list: D001053:Apolipoproteins; D015415:Biomarkers; D007527:Isoenzymes; D009211:Myoglobin; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; D020107:Troponin T; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D003402:Creatine Kinase; D052279:Creatine Kinase, MB Form