Assessment of cardiac functions in sickle cell anemia with Doppler myocardial performance index.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to evaluate left and right ventricular functions by using the Doppler myocardial performance index (MPI), in children with sickle cell anemia (SCA). METHODS We examined 32 patients with SCA and 30 age-matched healthy children. Echocardiography and Doppler examinations were completed for each of the subjects. MPI was calculated from the Doppler tracings. RESULTS Compared with controls, left ventricle (LV) end-diastolic diameter, end-systolic diameter, early-diastolic mitral flow velocity and late-diastolic mitral flow velocity were significantly higher in the patients with SCA. Although, the LV ejection fractions were in the normal ranges in patients and controls, both LV and right ventricle (RV) MPI were significantly higher in patients than those in normal children. CONCLUSION MPI may be a useful noninvasive and sensitive tool for assessing the sub-clinical cardiac LV and RV dysfunctions in patients with SCA.