Contemporary non-invasive methods for the diagnosis of early cardiac dysfunction in young patients with beta-thalassemia major

Abstract

Thalassemias are a group of inherited disorders, that require regular lifelong blood transfusions, which are vital for the normal development and life of the patients. With time, complications occur due to iron deposition in internal organs with subsequent chronic hemochromatosis development and predominantly affecting the heart, the liver and the endocrine glands. Despite the absence of clinical symptoms in young patients, enough data are supporting the fact that early myocardial iron deposition occurs. This necessitates the introduction of suffi ciently reliable methods and techniques for the detection and follow-up of early heart disorders before the onset of symptoms. Evaluation of myocardial iron deposition by the T2* MRI technique is established as a reliable, non-invasive method with good reproducibility and a low percentage of variability. Echocardiography as a method does not give information concerning the iron deposition in the heart but is easily applicable, safe and widespread for screening and follow up of patients. The use of new technique such as longitudinal strain makes the method almost comparable for the assessment of early subclinical myocardial damage. Although still in the fi eld of research, the identifi cation of specifi c miRNAs associated with cardiac stroke, fi brosis and remodeling is emerging as a new, potential biomarker for myocardial damage that could support the overall cardiovascular assessment of patients. This review will focus on current manifestations of cardiac complications in young patients with beta-thalassemia major, as well as the noninvasive methods for assessing cardiac function described above.