Key result
Patients with β-thalassemia major had significantly higher peak late relaxation velocity and lower E/A ratios by tissue Doppler imaging compared to thalassemia trait subjects and controls (P<0.001).
Why the study?
Does tissue Doppler imaging detect early cardiac dysfunction in patients with β-thalassemia major compared to thalassemia trait and healthy controls?
Observational (n=86)
Does tissue Doppler imaging detect early cardiac dysfunction in patients with β-thalassemia major compared to thalassemia trait and healthy controls?
Tissue Doppler imaging is superior to conventional echocardiography for detecting early ventricular dysfunction in asymptomatic patients with β-thalassemia major.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Tissue Doppler may aid early detection of diastolic changes in β-thalassemia major; leaves open whether screening improves outcomes.
Cardiac complications are the leading cause of death in β-thalassemia major (TM) patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of iron overload on ventricular functions using conventional and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in patients with TM and compare them with children with thalassemia trait (TT) and healthy controls. This prospective study includes 3 groups: group 1: 29 patients with β-TM; group 2: 28 patients with TT; group 3: 29 healthy controls. Peak late relaxation velocity determined by conventional echocardiography for the right ventricle was significantly higher and the E/A ratio for the right ventricle and left ventricle were significantly lower in TM patients than the other groups (P < .05). Peak late relaxation velocity determined by TDI for the left ventricle, interventricular septum, and right ventricle were significantly higher in TM patients than the TT subjects and controls (P < .001). The E/A ratio determined by TDI for the left ventricle, interventricular septum, and right ventricle were significantly lower in group 1 than the other 2 groups (P < .001). There was a negative correlation between the ferritin level and E/A ratio for the left ventricle, interventricular septum, and right ventricle using TDI (P < .05). Conventional echocardiographic techniques have failed to distinguish ventricular functions of asymptomatic patients with TM from the subjects with TT and from normal controls when global functions were examined. The present study indicates that TDI should be used for screening of TM and TT subjects' cardiac functions.
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Balcı et al. (2011) conducted an observational in β-thalassemia major and thalassemia trait (n=86). β-thalassemia major vs. Thalassemia trait and healthy controls was evaluated on Peak late relaxation velocity and E/A ratio by tissue Doppler imaging (p=<.001). Patients with β-thalassemia major had significantly higher peak late relaxation velocity and lower E/A ratios by tissue Doppler imaging compared to thalassemia trait subjects and controls (P<0.001).
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