Iron Chelation and Heart Health in Thalassemia Major
Author Information
Author(s): Pennell DJ, Carpenter JP, Roughton M, Cabantchik ZI
Primary Institution: Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Unit, Royal Brompton Hospital, London UK
Hypothesis
Does improvement in ejection fraction with iron chelation reduce the risk of future heart failure in thalassemia major patients?
Conclusion
Small increases in left ventricular ejection fraction during iron chelation treatment are associated with a significantly reduced risk of developing heart failure in thalassemia major patients.
Supporting Evidence
- A 1% increase in ejection fraction was linked to an 18.2% reduction in heart failure risk for patients with baseline EF 56-62%.
- A 1% increase in ejection fraction was linked to a 10.7% reduction in heart failure risk for patients with baseline EF 63-70%.
- Improvements in ejection fraction of 2.6% to 3.1% observed in trials correspond to significant risk reductions for heart failure.
Takeaway
If kids with thalassemia get better at pumping blood, they are less likely to have heart problems later on.
Methodology
This retrospective study analyzed changes in ejection fraction from cardiovascular magnetic resonance scans in thalassemia major patients and their association with heart failure risk over 12 months.
Potential Biases
Potential biases may arise from the retrospective nature of the study and the selection of patients from a single database.
Limitations
The study is retrospective and relies on existing database records, which may have incomplete data.
Participant Demographics
{"age":"26.6 (8.6)","sex":{"male":"54.1%","female":"45.9%"},"ethnicity":{"Indian":"28.4%","Greek":"16.5%","Cypriot":"15.6%","Pakistani/Bangladeshi":"12.8%","Turkish/Arabic":"11.0%","Italian/Romanian":"5.5%","Chinese/Malay":"4.6%","Unknown":"6.4%"}}
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Confidence Interval
{"56-62%":"0.767 to 0.872","63-70%":"0.836 to 0.953"}
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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