Frequency of atrial flutter after adult lung transplantation.

Lung transplantation, which involves an anastomosis of the graft to the native left atrium, may increase the risk of left-side atrial flutter (AFL). Our aim was to evaluate the incidence, predisposing conditions, and course of AFL after lung transplantation in adults. Two hundred sixty-nine consecutive patients who underwent lung transplantation were studied retrospectively.

Measurement of fibroblast proliferative activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in the analysis of obliterative bronchiolitis among lung transplant recipients.

Background: Bronchiolitis obliterans occurs in 30% to 80% of lung-transplant recipients and is a direct cause of death in more than 40% of patients with this complication. This study assessed the potential utility of measuring fibroblast-proliferative activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from lung-transplant recipients to better understand the pathogenesis of this process.

Methods: The capacity of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid obtained from transplant recipients, during routine surveillance bronchoscopy, to stimulate the proliferation of human lung fibroblasts in vitro was assessed retrospectively and compared to that of control subjects.

Assessment of early left ventricular remodeling in orthotopic heart transplant recipients with cine magnetic resonance imaging: potential mechanisms.

We performed short axis cine magnetic resonance imaging studies in 11 patients 2 months after they underwent orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT), and in 10 control subjects, to measure left ventricular (LV) volumes, mass, and end-systolic wall stress to assess ventricular remodeling after OHT. Although there were no significant differences in ventricular volumes and ejection fractions between heart transplant recipients and control subjects, heart transplant recipients had significantly higher LV mass (198 +/- 61 vs 132 +/- 27 gm, p = 0.001).

Iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphic assessment of the transplanted human heart: evidence for late reinnervation.

Objectives: This study attempted to determine whether cardiac sympathetic reinnervation occurs late after orthotopic heart transplantation.

Background: Metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) is taken up by myocardial sympathetic nerves. Iodine-123 (I-123) MIBG cardiac uptake reflects intact myocardial sympathetic innervation of the heart.