Serial Assessment of Peak &OV0312;O2 and &OV0312;O2 Kinetics Early after Heart Transplantation

Abstract

Aerobic metabolism is impaired in HTR. Both central (cardiovascular) and peripheral (skeletal muscle) factors contribute to the reduced exercise tolerance. HTR showed, during the first 2 yr post-HT, a significant increase in peak VO2 and (in the patients with the slowest VO2 kinetics during the first months after HT) a significant improvement of the VO2 kinetics. The main gains seem to occur at the peripheral level.