Acute cellular rejection and the subsequent development of allograft vasculopathy after cardiac transplantation

E Raichlin, BS Edwards, WK Kremers… - The Journal of heart and …, 2009 - Elsevier
BACKGROUND: Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is primarily immune-mediated. We
investigated the role of cellular rejection in CAV development. METHODS: The study
comprised 252 cardiac transplant recipients (mean age, 49.02±17.05 years; mean follow-up,
7.61±4.49 years). Total rejection score (TRS) based on the 2004 International Society of
Heart and Lung Transplantation R grading system (0R= 0, 1R= 1, 2R= 2, 3R= 3) and any
rejection score (ARS; calculated as 0R= 0, 1R= 1, 2R= 1; 3R= 1, or the number of rejections …