Atrial dysfunction as a marker of iron cardiotoxicity in thalassemia major

• Published in: Haematologica (Roma) Vol. 93; no. 2; pp. 311 - 312
• Main Authors: Li, Walter, Coates, Thomas, Wood, John C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pavia Haematologica 01.02.2008; Ferrata Storti Foundation
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Anemias. Hemoglobinopathies; Atrial Function, Left; beta-Thalassemia - metabolism; beta-Thalassemia - pathology; beta-Thalassemia - physiopathology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers; Cardiac Output; Cardiotoxins - metabolism; Diseases of red blood cells; Female; Heart Atria - metabolism; Heart Atria - pathology; Heart Atria - physiopathology; Heart Diseases - metabolism; Heart Diseases - pathology; Heart Diseases - physiopathology; Heart Ventricles - metabolism; Heart Ventricles - pathology; Heart Ventricles - physiopathology; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Iron - metabolism; Male; Medical sciences; Organ Size; Hemoglobinopathy; Atrium; Hemolytic anemia; Hematology; β-Thalassemia; Dysfunction; Biological marker; Hemopathy; Iron; Genetic disease
• ISSN: 0390-6078; 1592-8721; 1592-8721
• DOI: 10.3324/haematol.11958

Division of Cardiology, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA Correspondence: John C. Wood, Division of Cardiology, Mailstop 34, Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90027 USA. Phone: international + 1.323.6695470/3236697317. E-mail: jwood{at}chla.usc.edu We measured left atrial size and function from biplane MRI data in 62 adults with thalassemia major. Age-adjusted left atrial ejection fraction was depressed in 7 out of 20 subjects having T2* < 10 ms. Left atrial size, left ventricular size and cardiac output fell with cardiac iron loading, representing increased cardiac or peripheral vascular stiffness. Key words: Keywords: thalassemia, diastolic function, systolic function, iron overload, MRI.