title: Echocardiographic characteristics of patients with sickle cell anaemia in Sergipe, Brazil.
abstract: This study describes the cardiac size and function of patients with sickle cell anaemia, in Segipe, Brazil, and its association to the clinical severity, duration of illness and haemoglobin levels. Heart measurements were obtained by echocardiography from 38 children and adolescents and compared to international reference values. Sickle cell patients had increased left atrial and ventricular dimensions in systole and an increased end diastolic septal and left ventricular free wall thickness. These findings correlated with age. There were no abnormalities in the ejection or shortening fractions. These results suggest early haemodynamic changes with progressive cardiac chamber dilation and diastolic dysfunction that become increasingly abnormal with growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Federal University of Sergipe, Brazil. rosanaci@yahoo.com
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cipolotti
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Dal Fabbro
authors.forename: R Q
authors.initials: RQ
authors.lastname: Gurgel
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Cuevas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000145:classification* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001938:Brazil; D002302:Cardiac Output; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins