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Noninvasive quantification of coronary endothelial function by SPECT imaging in children with a history of Kawasaki disease

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Abstract

Purpose

The feasibility of coronary function estimation by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) has been recently demonstrated. The aim of this study was to apply SPECT imaging in patients with previous Kawasaki disease (KD) to assess the coronary functional status at long-term follow-up of the acute phase of the disease.

Methods

Sixteen children with a history of KD underwent 99mTc-sestamibi imaging at rest and during the cold pressor test (CPT). Myocardial blood flow (MBF) was estimated by measuring first transit counts in the pulmonary artery and myocardial counts from SPECT images. Coronary endothelial function was expressed as the ratio of the CPT to rest MBF.

Results

Six KD patients without coronary artery lesions served as controls and ten with coronary artery aneurysms during the acute phase of the disease were separated into two groups: group 1 (n = 4) with regressed and group 2 (n = 6) with persistent aneurysm at follow-up. The estimated coronary endothelial function was higher in controls compared to patients with coronary artery aneurysms (2.5 ± 0.3 vs 1.7 ± 0.7, p < 0.05). A significant difference in coronary endothelial function among groups was found (F = 5.21, p < 0.02). Coronary endothelial function was higher in patients of group 1 than in those of group 2 (1.9 ± 0.6 vs 1.4 ± 0.7, p < 0.02).

Conclusion

SPECT may be applied as a noninvasive method for assessing coronary vascular function in children with a history of KD, demonstrating an impaired response to the CPT, an endothelial-dependent vasodilator stimulus. These findings reinforce the concept that coronary endothelial dysfunction may represent a long-term sequela of KD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiology, Department of Paediatrics, Santobono-Pausilipon Children Medical Hospital, Naples, Italy

    Silvana Cicala, Rodolfo Paladini & Francesco de Leva

  2. SDN Foundation, Institute of Diagnostic and Nuclear Development, Naples, Italy

    Teresa Pellegrino & Maria Grazia Caprio

  3. IRCCS, CROB, Rionero in Vulture, Italy

    Giovanni Storto

  4. Department of Biomorphological and Functional Sciences, Federico II University, Naples, Italy

    Ciro Mainolfi & Alberto Cuocolo

  5. Institute of Biostructures and Bioimages, National Council of Research, Naples, Italy

    Ciro Mainolfi & Alberto Cuocolo

Authors
  1. Silvana Cicala
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  2. Teresa Pellegrino
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  4. Maria Grazia Caprio
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  8. Alberto Cuocolo
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Correspondence to Alberto Cuocolo.

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Cicala, S., Pellegrino, T., Storto, G. et al. Noninvasive quantification of coronary endothelial function by SPECT imaging in children with a history of Kawasaki disease. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 37, 2249–2255 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-010-1575-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-010-1575-1

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