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Elastic Properties of the Ascending Aorta in Patients with β‐Thalassemia Major
Author(s) -
Gedikli Omer,
Altinbas Ahmet,
Orucoglu Aslihan,
Dogan Abdullah,
Ozaydin Mehmet,
Aslan Suleyman Murat,
Acar Gurkan,
Canatan Duran
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
echocardiography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 62
eISSN - 1540-8175
pISSN - 0742-2822
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8175.2007.00486.x
Subject(s) - cardiology , ascending aorta , medicine , pulse wave velocity , aorta , thalassemia , blood pressure
Background: β‐thalassemia major (β‐TM) is a congenital hemolytic disorder characterized by impaired left ventricular and endothelial function. However, elastic properties of the aorta have not been sufficiently investigated in patients with β‐TM. We investigated whether β‐TM is related to impaired ascending aortic elastic properties. Methods: We studied 36 patients with β‐TM (age: 15.8 ± 2.6 years) and 30 age‐ and sex‐matched control subjects by echocardiography. Aortic elastic indexes, aortic strain (%), distensibility (cm 2 dyn −1 10 −3 ), and stiffness index were calculated from the echocardiographically derived thoracic aortic diameters (mm/m 2 ), and the measurement of pulse pressure obtained by cuff sphygmomanometry. Results: Patients versus control subjects had increased aortic diameters (P < 0.001), lower mean aortic strain (9 ± 3.6 vs. 14.9 ± 3.2, P < 0.001) and distensibility (0.6 ± 0.36 vs. 0.8 ± 0.2, P < 0.012), and higher mean stiffness index (5.3 ± 2.4 vs. 2.8 ± 0.6, P < 0.001). Aortic elastic indexes were significantly associated with ferritin level, while stiffness index was significantly related to platelet count. Conclusion: Elastic properties of ascending aorta are impaired in patients with β‐TM. Impaired functions of aorta may lead to deterioration of left ventricular function.