title: Cardiac complications in thalassemia: noninvasive detection methods and new directions in the clinical management.
abstract: The natural history of thalassemia has shown substantial change during these years. This applies for each aspect of the pathology (for example, endocrinological, hepatological and psychological) and also for the pathology that has presented and still presents the main cause of death: myocardial dysfunction. In this review, the pathophysiology of cardiac complications, possible role of myocarditis, new knowledge on pathogenesis, and noninvasive detection methods for iron overload in the heart are pointed out. Prophylaxis of cardiomyopathy and new therapy strategies of myocardial dysfunction, including the impact of the new chelation treatment, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, A.O.V. Cervello Hospital, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mancuso
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Panzarella
authors.forename: Tommaso Vincenzo
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Bartolotta
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Midiri
authors.forename: Disma
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Renda
authors.forename: Aurelio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Maggio
mesh_terms: D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004452:Echocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000150:complications*