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Pancreatic exocrine function and cardiac iron in patients with iron overload and with thalassemia
Author(s) -
Yamamura Jin,
Grosse Regine,
Jarisch Andrea,
Janka Gritta E.,
Nielsen Peter,
Adam Gerhard,
Fischer Roland
Publication year - 2011
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.22990
Subject(s) - medicine , thalassemia , magnetic resonance imaging , amylase , gastroenterology , pancreatic cancer , lipase , pancreas , cardiology , endocrinology , pathology , radiology , cancer , nuclear magnetic resonance , enzyme , physics
Patients with β‐thalassemia major at risk of cardiac iron overload have to be identified to undergo myocardial iron measurements by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), especially, in areas and centers with restricted access to MRI. Measurements of heart iron, liver iron, and pancreatic exocrine function were performed in 44 patients by MRI‐R2* [the transverse relaxation rate R2* (= 1/T2*) characterizes the magnetic resonance decay from protons not being in phase with each other in contrast to R2 (= 1/T2)], biomagnetic liver susceptometry (LIC), and pancreatic serum amylase (PAM) and lipase (LIP), respectively. ROC analysis (area: 0.88) for detecting patients with cardiac R2* > 50 sec −1 (T2* < 20 msec) by LIP revealed a cut‐off level of 19 U/L. In conclusion, patients at risk of elevated cardiac iron levels could be identified by the exocrine pancreatic lipase and amylase function parameters. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011; 57: 674–676. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.