Unstable angina associated with coronary arterial calcification in a thalassemia intermedia patient with a pseudoxanthoma elasticum-like syndrome.
The coexistence of a pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE)-like syndrome in beta-thalassemia and other hemoglobinopathies is a recently established clinical entity that has been observed with a significant frequency and related to some severe, even life-threatening complications. We present here a thalassemia intermedia patient who developed unstable angina in a setting of severe anemia and PXE-related coronary arterial calcification. Besides the clinical significance of this PXE-like syndrome, its acquired nature may introduce some new thoughts regarding the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
Farmakis
Dimitrios
D
First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Athens School of Medicine, Laiko General Hospital, 17 Aghiou Thoma Street, Athens 115 27, Greece. dfarm@panafonet.gr
Moyssakis
Ioannis
I
Perakis
Alexandros
A
Rombos
Yiannis
Y
Deftereos
Spyros
S
Giakoumis
Anastasios
A
Polymeropoulos
Evangelos
E
Aessopos
Athanasios
A
D000740:Anemia; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000209:etiology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011561:Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D013577:Syndrome; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications*