PROPAGATION OF INFILTRATING LYMPHOCYTES AND GRAFT CORONARY-DISEASE IN CARDIAC TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

The pattern of lymphocyte growth from endomyocardial biopsies in 55 heart transplant recipients was shown to be correlated with the subsequent development of graft coronary disease. Persistent lymphocyte growth was observed in 39 patients, and 15 of these growers (or 41%) developed graft coronary disease. In contrast, only 1 of 15 patients (or 6%) with nongrower biopsies showed subsequent graft coronary disease. Thus, biopsy growth was associated with a higher incidence of subsequent GCD (p=0.02). A comparison between the group of 15 growers with subsequent graft coronary disease and the 24 growers without subsequent graft coronary disease did not show any differences with respect to patient age, presence of coronary artery disease in the native heart, biopsy histology, donor alloreactivity of biopsy grown lymphocytes, and immunosuppressive drug regimen. On the other hand, the number of treated rejection episodes was significantly lower in the grower group with subsequent graft coronary disease (p=0.04). These data support the concept that graft coronary disease may involve rejection and that more immunosuppression may lower its incidence. This concept is strengthened by findings showing that alloreactive T cells can be propagated from coronary arteries of cardiac allografts with graft coronary disease. © 1990.