Serial quantitative coronary analyses for the evaluation of one-year change in saphenous vein grafts.
BACKGROUND
A paucity of data exists with respect to changes in whole saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) despite accelerated atherosclerosis within grafted saphenous vein conduits. In the present study, we evaluated the one-year change in SVGs by means of quantitative coronary analysis.


METHODS
This study enrolled consecutive 52 patients with 109 SVGs, who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery successfully. A follow-up study was performed in 33 patients with 65 SVGs after one year because 16 SVGs were obstructed (baseline, 8; follow-up period, 8), and 15 patients with 28 SVGs dropped out within one year.


RESULTS
Both minimal and mean lumen diameters decreased significantly (3.17 +/- 0.64 mm vs 2.41 +/- 0.57 mm, p < 0.001; 3.70 +/- 0.69 mm vs 2.92 +/- 0.70 mm, p < 0.001; respectively). Graft length also decreased significantly (107.1 +/- 25.8 vs 100.6 +/- 25.2 mm, p < 0.001). The graft shortening rate (graft shortening length/baseline graft length x 100) was greater than 5% in 33 vessels (51%) and greater than 10% in 23 vessels (35%). Coronary risk factors (smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia) did not reveal significant relationship with late loss of minimal and mean lumen diameters.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study showed a considerable and uniform lumen loss of SVGs after one year, irrespective of coronary risk factors. Graft length shortening was seen more than elongation.
Suzuki
Nobuaki
N
Department of Medicine, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. nsuzu@bronze.ocn.ne.jp
Kozuma
Ken
K
Ueno
Yasunari
Y
Nagaoka
Kensuke
K
Kyono
Hiroyuki
H
Ishikawa
Shuichi
S
Watanabe
Hidenori
H
Yokoyama
Naoyuki
N
Takeshita
Satoshi
S
Isshiki
Takaaki
T
D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006085:Graft Survival; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D011336:Probability; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000637:transplantation*; D013997:Time Factors; D014654:Vascular Patency