Correlation of N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Levels and Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging T2∗ in Patients With Β-Thalassaemia Major Publisher



Mehrzad V¹ ; Khajouei AS² ; Fahami E³
Source: Blood Transfusion Published:2016

Abstract

Background. Cardiac death secondary to myocardial iron toxicity occurs in 50% of patients with transfusion-dependent β-thalassaemia major. N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) seems to be a useful tool for early detection of cardiac haemosiderosis. We designed this study to determine whether plasma NT-proBNP levels are predictive of cardiac iron concentration, based on heart T2∗ assessment by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Materials and methods. We evaluated plasma NT-proBNP levels in 50 patients with β-thalassaemia major, aged 18 to 46 years, with preserved left ventricular systolic function, all of whom had undergone cardiac MRI within 3 months before the study. Next, three groups were defined based on heart T2∗ value as: group A, patients without evidence of cardiac iron overload (T2∗>20 ms); group B, patients with mild to moderate cardiac iron overload (10 ms