Background: Among the most dangerous side effects for persons with beta thalassemia major (B-TM) are cardiac problems. Early recognition of cardiomyopathy guides early management and therefore minimize mortality and morbidity.
Objective: This study aimed to assess copeptin levels as an early predictor of myocardial dysfunction in children with B-TM and to determine its relationship to tissue doppler derived Tei index in those patients.
Subjects and methods: The study was conducted on 42 children with B-TM without known heart disease and 40 age -and sex-matched healthy controls. Serum copeptin was assayed by a commercial ELISA kit and left ventricular Tei index was measured using tissue Doppler imaging.
Results: Copeptin levels were significantly higher in thalassemic patients compared with controls (P=0.014). Copeptin was correlated positively with age, disease duration, transfusion index, lactate dehydrogenase, indirect bilirubin, serum ferritin, end systolic and diastolic diameters and tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity. Copeptin, on the other hand, showed a negative correlation with fractional shortening and ejection percent. Copeptin and Tei index showed a substantial link in the investigation of correlation (p=0.001).
Conclusion: Copeptin in B-TM may be regarded as an early indicator of cardiomyopathy. It ought to be included in thalassemic follow-up in order to detect and treat subclinical problems correctly, lowering the risk of detrimental heart failure (HF).