Echocardiographic study in ex-thalassemic patients with iron overload, preliminary observations during phlebotomy therapy

: In patients with thalassemia major iron overload leads to symptoms of cardiac failure and it is the most frequent cause of death. A sub group of asymptomatic thalassemic patients (Th Pts) who underwent bone marrow transplantation (BMT) and who presented persistently high serum ferritin level and heavy haemosiderosis were subjected to cardiological study to evaluate possible iron-related cardiac disease. We report here preliminary results obtained from the Echocardiographic studies carried out at baseline and at eight months follow-up in a group of ex-thalassemic after transplant who underwent phlebotomy in the attempt to reduce the iron overload.