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Science 14 August 1970:
Vol. 169. no. 3946, pp. 694 - 696
DOI: 10.1126/science.169.3946.694
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Articles

Circadian Rhythms in Human Heart Homograft

Irvin A. Kraft 1, Steven Alexander 1, Delbert Foster 1, Robert D. Leachman 1, and Harry S. Lipscomb 1

1 Departments of Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Physiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas

The electrocardiogram and cardiotachogram of a patient with a human heart transplant has been recorded for 72 hours. Within the donor P-QRS-T complex, one can identify the P waves emanating from residual sinoatrial heart tissue of the recipient. The recipient P waves are independent of the donor complexes. A clear circadian rhythm (23.4 hours) in heart rate is maintained for both donor and recipient tissue, the donor complexes preceding by a phase shift of 135 minutes the complexes of the recipient heart tissue. Both tissues display clear morning and evening minimum and maximum rates paralleling activity and lighting cycles.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Sino-Atrial Node Transplantation in the Dog.
Y. Morishita, R. A. Poirier, and R. F. Rohner (1981)
Vascular and Endovascular Surgery 15, 388-393
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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)