Coronary artery spasm during angiography in a pediatric heart transplant recipient: subsequent prevention by intracoronary nitroglycerin administration.

Coronary artery spasm can occur during coronary angiography in pediatric heart transplant recipients. The angiographic appearance can suggest allograft vasculopathy. We report coronary artery spasm in a pediatric heart transplant recipient in whom intracoronary nitroglycerin administration prevented a repetition of spasm upon subsequent diagnostic coronary angiography. Additional studies of dose response, particularly in cardiac transplant recipients, may help determine whether lower doses of intracoronary nitrates, such as that administered to our patient, can be effective in preventing coronary artery vasospasm in pediatric heart transplant recipients.