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Quantitative assessment of ventricular function in sickle cell disease: Effect of long‐term erythrocytapheresis
Author(s) -
Raj Ashok B.,
Condurache Tania,
Bertolone Salvatore,
Williams David,
Lorenz Douglas,
Sobczyk Walter
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
pediatric blood and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1545-5017
pISSN - 1545-5009
DOI - 10.1002/pbc.20521
Subject(s) - medicine , term (time) , disease , ventricular function , intensive care medicine , pediatrics , cardiology , physics , quantum mechanics
Background Previous studies on cardiac function in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) demonstrated abnormalities of systolic and diastolic function including elevated left ventricular myocardial performance index (LVMPI) on chronic transfusion protocols. LVMPI has been validated as a useful and easy non‐invasive measure of overall cardiac function. Up to now, there are no reported studies on cardiac function in patients with SCD maintained on long‐term erythrocytapheresis (LTE). Procedures We recorded LVMPI in 22 patients with SCD aged 3–20 years and we compared the results between non‐transfused patients (NT‐SCD) and patients on LTE (T‐SCD). Results Males with SCD had higher mean LVMPI than females ( P = 0.04). There were significant differences among T‐SCD, severe NT‐SCD, and mild NT‐SCD patients with respect to hemoglobin (Hb) levels ( P = .003) and TR velocity ( P = .03). T‐SCD patients showed elevated LVMPI compared to NT‐SCD patients with severe and mild disease ( P = 0.002). Pair‐wise comparisons demonstrated that T‐SCD patients had LVMPI that was significantly higher than NT‐SCD (mild) patients ( P = 0.01). Conclusions Our study demonstrates that patients SCD on LTE have cardiac dysfunction based on elevated LVMPI. This may be a reflection of the global severity of disease. Our findings merit further investigation with serial monitoring of LVMPI on a larger number of patients with SCD. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.