Iron Overload in Polytransfused Patients without Heart Failure is Associated with Subclinical Alterations of Systolic Left Ventricular Function using Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Tagging.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: It remains incompletely understood whether patients with transfusion related cardiac iron overload without signs of heart failure exhibit already subclinical alterations of systolic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. Therefore we performed a comprehensive evaluation of systolic and diastolic cardiac function in such patients using tagged and phase-contrast CMR. METHODS: 19 patients requiring regular blood transfusions for chronic anemia and 8 healthy volunteers were investigated using cine, tagged, and phase-contrast and T2* CMR. LV ejection fraction, peak filling rate, e... Mehr ...