The coronary flow velocity reserve of the left anterior descending artery was examined by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography in 189 patients (male 125, female 64) with a history of Kawasaki disease and 10 volunteers (control). Their ages ranged from 6 to 40 years (median 22 years). The patients were divided into nine groups based on the left anterior descending artery lesions. The coronary flow velocity reserve was measured by intravenous administration of adenosine triphosphate (0.15 mg/kg/minute) while fasting. The coronary flow velocity reserve was calculated as the ratio of hyperaemic to basal mean diastolic flow velocities. The respective groups were as follows: control, no coronary artery lesions (n = 39), no coronary artery lesions in the right coronary artery (n = 29), regression (n = 11), aneurysm at the bifurcation of the left coronary artery (n = 26), aneurysm of the left anterior descending artery (n = 15), localised stenosis <75% (n = 12), localised stenosis ≥75% (n = 17), segmental stenosis (n = 5) and coronary artery bypass grafting (n = 36). One-factor ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test was used to compare the coronary flow velocity reserve among the groups.

The coronary flow velocity reserve was significantly lower in the localised stenosis ≥75%, segmental stenosis and coronary artery grafting groups than in the other groups (p < 0.05).

The endothelial function in the epicoronary artery was preserved in patients with a history of Kawasaki disease and dilated coronary artery lesions.

To study coronary artery haemodynamics in adolescents with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia and aortic supravalvular stenosis.

Patients diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolaemia who were younger than 16 years and who had undergone transthoracic echocardiography from 2007 to 2010 were included in this study. We included patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia and aortic supravalvular stenosis and those with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia. All patients underwent stress echocardiography, and left anterior descending coronary artery flow was successfully detected. Coronary flow velocity reserve was calculated as the ratio of hyperaemic mean diastolic flow velocity after injection of adenosine to basal mean diastolic flow velocity. Changes in coronary haemodynamics and the relationship between lipid concentrations were determined.

A total of 11 patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia were enrolled in this study. Lipid concentrations were measured, and the mean coronary flow velocity reserve was 1.97 plus or minus 0.51. Seven children were included in the group of patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia. In these children, the mean coronary flow velocity reserve was 3.08 plus or minus 0.84.

The coronary flow velocity reserve of homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemic patients is lower than that of heterozygous familial hypercholesterolaemic patients, and it is associated with a high concentration of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Aortic stenosis and plaques compromised the ostia of the coronary artery and caused increased basal mean diastolic coronary velocity with blunted increase in peak velocity, which decreased the coronary flow velocity reserve.