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The evaluation of carotid intima-media thickness in children with beta-thalassaemia major

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2011

Mustafa Dogan  and
Elvan Caglar Citak
Mustafa Dogan
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey
Elvan Caglar Citak*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey
*
Correspondence to: Dr E. C. Citak, MD, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Oncology, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey. Tel: +90 324 3374300; Fax: +90 324 3374305; E-mail: caglarcitak@yahoo.com
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Abstract

Background

Cardiovascular complications and vascular changes are common in patients with beta-thalassaemia major. The aim of this study is to investigate the common carotid artery intima-media thickness in children.

Methods

The study population was consisted of 33 thalassaemic children (22 boys and 11 girls, with a median age of 8 years) and 30 healthy children for control (12 girls and 18 boys, with a median age of 8 years) who were matched for age and gender. Common carotid artery intima-media thickness of the children was measured.

Results

The patients’ age at diagnosis ranged from 0.25 to 2 years, with a median of 0.6 months. Their disease duration ranged from 4 to 13.75 years, with a median of 6.5 years. The patients’ median common carotid artery intima-media thickness was significantly higher than controls – that is, 0.87 versus 0.74, with a p-value less than 0.005. The mean common carotid artery intima-media thickness value was positively correlated with disease duration (r = 0.535), with a p-value less than 0.01 and ferritin level (r = 0.501), with a p-value less than 0.01.

Conclusion

Owing to the nature of the disease, patients with beta-thalassaemia major should be considered to have an increased risk of early vascular alteration and atherosclerosis. For this reason, common carotid artery intima-media thickness measurement can be recommended as a non-invasive and early diagnostic method.

Keywords

Beta-thalassaemia majorcarotid intima-media thicknesschildren
Type
Original Articles
Information
Cardiology in the Young , Volume 22 , Issue 1 , February 2012 , pp. 79 - 83
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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