Electrocardiographic markers for the early detection of cardiac disease in patients with beta-thalassemia major

• Published in: Jornal de pediatria Vol. 86; no. 2; pp. 159 - 162
• Main Authors: Nisli, Kemal, Taner, Yavuz, Naci, Oner, Zafer, Salcioglu, Zeynep, Karakas, Aygun, Dindar, Umrah, Aydogan, Rukiye, Eker, Turkan, Ertugrul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil 01.03.2010
• Subjects: Adolescent; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - diagnostic imaging; Arrhythmias, Cardiac - physiopathology; beta-Thalassemia - complications; beta-Thalassemia - physiopathology; Blood Flow Velocity - physiology; Case-Control Studies; Child; Child, Preschool; Early Diagnosis; Echocardiography; Electrocardiography; Female; Humans; Male; Risk Factors; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0021-7557; 1678-4782
• DOI: 10.2223/JPED.1982

To comparatively evaluate P-wave dispersion (PWD) in patients with beta-thalassemia major (TM) and healthy control subjects for the early prediction of arrhythmia risk. Eighty-one children with beta-TM, aged 4-19 years, and 74 healthy children (control group) underwent routine electrocardiography and transthoracic echocardiography for cardiac evaluation. PWD was calculated as the difference between the maximum and the minimum P-wave duration. There was a statistically significant difference between study and control groups in peak early (E) mitral inflow velocity and E/late (A) velocity ratio. Maximum P-wave duration and PWD were found to be significantly higher in beta-TM patients than in control subjects. Increased PWD in our beta-TM patients might be related to depression of intra-atrial conduction due to atrial dilatation and increased sympathetic activity. These patients should be closely followed up for risk of life-threatening arrhythmias.