Abstract：Objective: To analyze the early circumferential dysfunction of left ventricular(LV) endocardium and epicardium in thalassemia major children by using two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging(2D-STI). Methods: Routine echocardiography was performed in 60 thalassemia major children and 30 normal children. Patients were divided into 2 groups: 30 cases of thalassemia A, with serum ferritin(SF)≥2 500 μg/L, 30 cases of thalassemia B, with serum ferritin(SF)＜2 500 μg/L. Two-dimensional images were recorded. Then the circumferential peak systolic strains(PSS) of endocardium and epicardium were measured at basal, mid and apical levels of LV for all the subjects. Results: ①Compared with normal group and group thalassemia B, endocardial circumferential PSS of group thalassemia A decreased significantly(P＜0.05) in all the three level views of LV(P＜0.05). ② Compared with normal group, epicardial circumferential PSS of group thalassemia A decreased significantly only in apical level view(P＜0.05). ③ Compared with normal group, endocardial circumferential PSS of group thalassemia B decreased significantly only in apical level view(P＜0.05). Conclusions: 2D-STI circumferential strain can detect the early circumferential dysfunction of LV in thalassemia major children, which is difficult to be detected by routine echocardiography. The LV circumferential dysfunction of group A with high level SF is more serious than that of group B with low level SF.
2012, Vol. 23 
