An echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular function in children with beta-thalassemia major

Deepak Maheshwari; Dinesh Gautam; Dhananjay Singh; Sunil Kumar Mahavar; Mayank Gupta

Volume : VIII, Issue : III, March - 2019

An echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular function in children with beta-thalassemia major

Deepak Maheshwari, Dinesh Gautam, Dhananjay Singh, Sunil Kumar Mahavar, Mayank Gupta

Abstract :

Objective: Cardiac failure due to iron overload remains the most common cause of death in patients with beta–thalassemia major. This study aimed to evaluate myocardial function in children with beta–thalassemia major using standard echocardiography technique and strain rate imaging. Materials and Methods: Conventional echocardiographic analysis, strain imaging of the left ventricle were evaluated in 50 children with beta–thalassemia major (11 girls, 39 boys; 7.99±1.97 years) and 50 healthy children (19 girls, 31 boys; 8.22±2.24 years). Results: Conventional echocardiographic examinations revealed that beta–thalassemia patients had larger left ventricular end–systolic diameter (<.001), end–diastolic diameter (<.01).LVEF, mitral diastolic flow velocities were not significantly different between the two groups. Strain imaging study of the basal lateral wall of the left ventricle was higher in patients than in controls, at p<.001. Conclusion: We found that superior systolic strain imaging of the left ventricle indicated the presence of regional systolic function in the left ventricular wall. This study demonstrates the ability of strain imaging to accurately depict regional myocardial function in asymptomatic beta–thalassemia patients with normal systolic and diastolic function. LV dilatation was balanced with increased basal segment Strain measurements