Low Vitamin D Levels Are Associated with Increased Cardiac Iron Uptake in Beta-Thalassemia Major

Abstract

We evaluated the association of vitamin D and parathormone (PTH) levels with cardiac iron and function in beta-thalassemia major (β-TM) patients. Two-hundred and seventy-eight TM patients (39.04 ± 8.58 years, 56.8% females) underwent magnetic resonance imaging for the assessment of iron overload (T2* technique), biventricular function parameters (cine images), and replacement myocardial fibrosis (late gadolinium enhancement technique). Vitamin D levels were deficient (p < 0.0001). In TM, the periodic and regular assessment of vitamin D levels can be beneficial for the prevention of cardiac iron accumulation and subsequent overt dysfunction.

Keywords

• thalassemia major
• myocardial iron overload
• vitamin D
• parathyroid hormone