Assessment of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy With Optical Coherence Tomography

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a progressive disease of the coronary arteries in transplanted hearts which is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. The broad objective of this research study is to advance our ability to diagnose as early as possible the presence of CAV and to non-invasively predict those patients at increased risk of CAV with novel techniques. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a novel intracoronary imaging technique using an optical analog of ultrasound with a resolution 10 times greater resolution than intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in peripheral blood have been shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and peripheral arterial tonometry is a clinical tool used to predict endothelial dysfunction (a precursor of atherosclerosis) which has been validated in non-transplant patients. Patients scheduled for routine cardiac catheterization with IVUS at the Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minnesota (MN) that reach inclusion and exclusion criteria for the study will be approached on the day to get informed consent to perform OCT, blood sampling and peripheral endothelial function testing. The investigators aim to 1) compare the frequency and plaque type of CAV as defined with OCT versus IVUS-Virtual Histology (IVUS-VH), 2) predict the presence and severity of CAV with absolute counts of EPCs and 3) with peripheral endothelial function scores.

Official Title
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Assessment of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy With Optical Coherence Tomography as Compared to Intravascular Ultrasound-Virtual Histology

Conditions
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Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: patients aged 18 or older patients with cardiac transplant undergoing routine CAV surveillance Exclusion Criteria: patients < 18 years old patients with acute rejection patients with active infection patients with chronic renal insufficiency with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) < 30ml/min patients not able to give informed consent

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Characterize CAV in-vivo with OCT |  | 1 year | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Compare the frequency and plaque type of CAV as defined with OCT versus IVUS-VH |  | 1 year | 
| Predict the presence and severity of CAV with absolute counts of EPCs. |  | 1 year | 
| Predict the presence and severity of CAV with peripheral endothelial function scores |  | 1 year | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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OCT, IVUS, CAV