evaluation of tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity in thalassemia patients with splenectomy

conclusions the etiology of pah in thalassemia is multifactorial such as inflammatory mediators. also, the absence of the spleen plays an important role in developing a high trv and pah. results average age of the patients was 21.15 ± 6.68 years. no significant difference was observed in the pap between the 2 groups of thalassemia major and intermedia and also the 2 sex groups. indeed, 6.6% of the patients had an increased pap. the significant finding of the study was that the patients who had had splenectomy were significantly at an increased risk of pah (p = 0.046). methods a total of 137 patients suffering from β-thalassemia were evaluated during the study. all subjects were referred for cardiac evaluation. clinical history, presence of cardiac symptoms, and previous splenectomy were noted. standard m-mode, 2d, and doppler echocardiographic examinations were performed for all subjects. patients with a tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity (trv) ≥ 2.5 m/s were considered at risk for pah. objectives this study aimed to assess the pap in patients with β-thalassemia (male or female and major or intermedia) who had undergone splenectomy. background β-thalassemia is an inherited disorder of β-globin biosynthesis. dysfunction in hemoglobin chain production, ineffective erythropoiesis, and hemolysis occur in β-thalassemia. pulmonary arterial hypertension (pah) is increasingly detected in patients with β-thalassemia, and splenectomy which decreases the need for blood transfusion increases the pulmonary artery pressure (pap).