Principal Investigators:
Arthur Pollak MD, Yasmin Shibli

Abstract:

Thalassemic patients are especially prone to develop heart disease, e.g., increasing heart size, hypertrophy of the myocardium, pulmonary hypertension, eventually leading to impaired left and right ventricular function and death due to congestive heart failure (CHF). Administration of desferoxamine, an iron chelator, has led to increased survival of these patients by delaying the development of heart failure, however, other interventions are needed to further decrease cardiac risks and improve prognosis. Early detection of cardiac dysfunction prior to other clinical symptoms of CHF may allow initiation of preventive and therapeutic treatments in time for longer survival of thalassemic patients. The use of non-invasive, highly sensitive echocardiographic means for the evaluation of cardiac function may prove useful to achieve this goal.
In this study we will use new echocardiographic methods, e.g. tissue doppler imaging and contractility assessment by carotid pulse tracing, in order to determine if by these non-invasive techniques we will be able to detect a decrease in heart function prior to clinical symptoms.

Status:
Recruiting patients

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