Heart Rate Variability in Patients with Thalassemia Major

Cardiac dysfunction, including congestive heart failure and fatal arrhythmia, is a frequent cause of death among children with thalassemia major (TM). Autonomic nervous system activity typically is measured by a series of cardiovascular autonomic function tests, but these tests are unsuitable for yo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatric cardiology 2008-09, Vol.29 (5), p.935-939
Main Authors: Kardelen, Firat, Tezcan, Gulsun, Akcurin, Gayaz, Ertug, Halil, Yesilipek, Akif
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Arrhythmias, Cardiac - etiology
Autonomic Nervous System - physiopathology
Baroreflex - physiology
beta-Thalassemia - complications
beta-Thalassemia - diagnostic imaging
beta-Thalassemia - physiopathology
Cardiac Surgery
Cardiology
Child
Female
Heart Failure - etiology
Heart Function Tests
Heart Rate - physiology
Humans
Male
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Original Article
Ultrasonography
Vascular Surgery
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Summary:Cardiac dysfunction, including congestive heart failure and fatal arrhythmia, is a frequent cause of death among children with thalassemia major (TM). Autonomic nervous system activity typically is measured by a series of cardiovascular autonomic function tests, but these tests are unsuitable for young patients because they are invasive or complex. Heart rate variability assessment is a technique that measures the beat-to-beat variability in R-R intervals. This variability reflects changes in autonomic activity and their impact on cardiovascular function. This study examined 32 patients with TM to evaluate heart rate variability (HRV) in a preclinical phase of cardiac involvement. The study patients showed no evidence of heart failure or signs of peripheral or autonomic neuropathy. All HRV parameters were significantly reduced in the TM patient group compared with the control group. The results of this study can be interpreted as evidence of early cardiac autonomic neuropathy in young thalassemic patients. Therefore, all TM patients should be screened using HRV analysis for that complication.
ISSN:0172-0643
1432-1971
DOI:10.1007/s00246-008-9240-1