Coronary arterial flow-velocity dynamics in children with angiographically normal coronary arteries

• Published in: Circulation (New York, N.Y.) N.Y.), 1995-11, Vol.92 (9), p.2457-2462
• Main Authors: HAMAOKA, K, ONOUCHI, Z, OHMOCHI, Y, SAKATA, K
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenosine Triphosphate - pharmacology; Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Flow Velocity; Cardiovascular system; Child; Child, Preschool; Coronary Angiography; Coronary Circulation - physiology; Female; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; Male; Medical sciences; Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome - physiopathology; Ultrasonic investigative techniques
• ISSN: 0009-7322; 1524-4539
• DOI: 10.1161/01.CIR.92.9.2457

There have been few reports about coronary hemodynamics in children during the process of growth. In the present study, to assess the characteristics of coronary flow dynamics in children, we examined the phasic coronary flow-velocity (CFV) patterns at rest and during peak hyperemic responses in children with angiographically normal coronary arteries. Spectral Doppler phasic coronary flow velocity was recorded with a 0.018-in intracoronary Doppler guidewire at rest and during peak responses after intracoronary bolus injection of ATP in 30 patients with Kawasaki's disease (age, 8.2 +/- 5.1 years; 24 boys and 6 girls) without angiographic coronary lesions. Average peak velocity (APV), maximum peak velocity (MPV), and diastolic-to-systolic velocity ratio (DSVR) were evaluated in the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), left circumflex artery (LCx), and right coronary artery (RCA). Coronary vasodilator reserve (coronary flow reserve [CFR]) was calculated as the ratio of ATP-induced hyperemic to baseline APV. Flow-velocity parameters in RCA were significantly lower than those in the LAD and LCx in both proximal and distal portions. Although the distal LCx had significantly lower values of APV and MPV than did the proximal LCx, there was no significant difference between the proximal and distal portions of the LAD and RCA for APV and MPV. All three coronary vessels showed a diastolic dominant flow pattern in each segment. This coronary flow pattern was less marked in the RCA than in the LCA. All three coronary vessels showed a significant increase in APV and a significantly decrease in DSVR after ATP administration. CFR was significantly lower in the LCx than in the LAD or RCA (P < .01: 1.93 +/- 0.34 in LCx versus 2.32 +/- 0.42 in LAD and 2.37 +/- 0.44 in RCA). From the view of aging, it was revealed that APV values in three vessels were higher in the younger group than in the older group. CFR values in the LAD and LCx were significantly lower in the younger group than in the older group (P < .001 in LAD: 2.01 +/- 0.28 in the younger versus 2.53 +/- 0.37 in the older; P < .01 in LCx: 1.61 +/- 0.15 in the younger versus 2.06 +/- 0.31 in the older). In addition, intracoronary injection of ATP did not increase the absolute angiographic coronary luminal diameter. With the use of an intracoronary Doppler guidewire, we demonstrated that there are some characteristic findings in CFV dynamics in childhood. These physiological characteristics in CFV dynamics t