Background: Among the sequelae associated with a diagnosis of β-thalassemia, pulmonary arterial hypertension remains a concern in patients with β-thalassemia major.
Objectives: To evaluate the pulmonary pressure and systolic left ventricular function and detect their relationship with the iron status in β-thalassemic patients.
Patients and Methods: A cross-section study on 50 β-thalassemia major children > 5 years old diagnosed by CBC and hemoglobin electrophoresis and on regular blood transfusion/1-2 months was done. The patients were studied by echocardiography regarding their pulmonary pressure level measurement and left ventricular systolic function estimation (FS%). Serum ferritin level was also measured.
Results: β-thalassemic children developed systolic and, to a lesser extent, diastolic pulmonary hypertension (36% and 4% respectively). There was a significant positive correlation between serum ferritin level and systolic and diastolic pulmonary pressure. A left ventricular systolic dysfunction was detected in 18% of patients. However, there was no correlation between serum ferritin level and left ventricular systolic dysfunction.
Conclusion: Pulmonary hypertension and not the left ventricular systolic dysfunction was related to the serum ferritin level in β-thalassemic children.