MENG-YAO LUSTEVEN SHINN-FORNG PENGHSIU-HAO CHANGYUNG-LI YANGCHUN-AN CHENSHIANN-TANG JOULin D.-T.Lin K.-H.2020-09-222020-09-2220130958-7578https://scholars.lib.ntu.edu.tw/handle/123456789/514126Background: The aims of our study were to evaluate (i) the relationship between cardiac T2* values and cardiac complications in Asian β-thalassaemia major (TM) patients, and (ii) the association between cardiac T2* values and other parameters currently used to predict cardiac complications as a result of transfusion iron overload. Methods: We examined the myocardial iron loads of 88 TM patients from Taiwan with cardiac T2* magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and assessed the correlation between cardiac T2* values and serum ferritin levels, liver iron concentration and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We also determined the predictive value of these measurements for the development of arrhythmia. Results and conclusion: In our group of Taiwanese patients, the relative risk for arrhythmia was 10·36 when cardiac T2* values were less than 10ms (compared with ?10ms) and 1·98 when serum ferritin levels increased >2500ng mL-1 (compared with ?2500ng mL-1). Serum ferritin levels correlated with cardiac T2* values in patients with abnormal myocardial iron loads (T2*<20ms, r=-0·48, P=0·004, n = 34), but LVEF (measured by echocardiography) gave no indication of excess myocardial iron deposition (r=-0·07, P=0·52) or of the risk of developing arrhythmia. ? 2013 The Authors. Transfusion Medicine ? 2013 British Blood Transfusion Society.[SDGs]SDG3ferritin; iron; adolescent; adult; article; beta thalassemia; child; echocardiography; female; ferritin blood level; heart arrhythmia; heart left ventricle ejection fraction; human; iron blood level; iron chelation; major clinical study; male; nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; school child; Taiwan; thalassemia major; Adolescent; Adult; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; beta-Thalassemia; Chelation Therapy; Child; Female; Ferritins; Humans; Iron; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Myocardium; Risk Factors; Taiwanjournal article10.1111/tme.12014234481382-s2.0-84875608746