Study of significance of echocardiography in thalassemia major/intermedia patients at tertiary care centre ICh&HC, Chennai

AIM OF THE STUDY: To study the cardiovascular complications in transfusion dependent beta thalassemia major/intermedia patients and to establish the significance of echocardiography in them. MATERIALS & METHODS: This descriptive study was done on transfusion dependent thalassemia major / intermedia patients in the age group of 2 to 12 years on regular chelation therapy coming to ICH and HC, Chennai. Patients with a known congenital heart disease or terminal illness were excluded. A detailed history including symptoms, age at diagnosis, consanguinity, sibling history was taken. Blood for complete blood count and serum ferritin was taken and patients were subjected to electrocardiography, 2D and M-mode echocardiography and continous wave Doppler. Patients were divided into two groups based on Hb electrophoresis into TM and TI. The ecg and echocardiographic findings of these patients were compared. Patients were further categorized on serum ferritin values as those with >1000ng/dl and