left ventricular diastolic abnormalities in β-thalassemia major with normal systolic function

in order to identify left ventricular diastolic function in patients with betathalassemia major and normal systolic function by noninvasive m-mode and doppler echocardiography, an analytic study was designed in a university hospital in sari. we have studied 44 patients (23 men and 21 women), mean age 15.48±2.16 (range 12 to 20) and 43 age and sex matched control subjects. peak flow velocity in early diastole increased in patients compared with controls (98±14vs. 86±13 cm/sec p<0.0001), rate of deceleration of flow velocity was also increased (778±142vs. 592±193 cm/sec2 and 2.24±0.51 vs. 1.73±0.36, respectively p<0.0001). peak flow velocity during atrial contraction was not significantly different in patients and normal control subjects. doppler diastolic indices had no correlation with age, serum ferritin levels and cumulative blood transfused in thalassemic patients. we concluded that left ventricular diastolic flow indices identified noninvasively by doppler echocardiography in patients with thalassemia major are altered in an early phase, when systolic function is normal.