The Association between Myocardial Iron Load and Ventricular Repolarization Parameters in Asymptomatic Beta-Thalassemia Patients.
Previous studies have demonstrated impaired ventricular repolarization in patients with β-TM. However, the effect of iron overload with cardiac T2* magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on cardiac repolarization remains unclear yet. We aimed to examine relationship between repolarization parameters and iron loading using cardiac T2* MRI in asymptomatic β-TM patients. Twenty-two β-TM patients and 22 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were enrolled to the study. From the 12-lead surface electrocardiography, regional and transmyocardial repolarization parameters were evaluated manually by two experienced cardiologists. All patients were also undergone MRI for cardiac T2* evaluation. Cardiac T2* score <20 msec was considered as iron overload status. Of the QT parameters, QT duration, corrected QT interval, and QT peak duration were significantly longer in the β-TM group compared to the healthy controls. T(p) - T(e) and T(p) - T(e) dispersions were also significantly prolonged in β-TM group compared to healthy controls. (T(p) - T(e))/QT was similar between groups. There was no correlation between repolarization parameters and cardiac T2* MRI values. In conclusion, although repolarization parameters were prolonged in asymptomatic β-TM patients compared with control, we could not find any relation between ECG findings and cardiac iron load.
Department of Cardiology, Meram School of Medicine, Selcuk University, Meram, 42090 Konya, Turkey.
Mehmet
M
Kayrak
Kadir
K
Acar
Enes Elvin
EE
Gul
Orhan
O
Ozbek
Turyan
T
Abdulhalikov
Osman
O
Sonmez
Hajrudin
H
Alibaşiç