Background: Iron-induced cardiomyopathy remains the leading cause of mortality in patients with β-thalassemia major. Iron overload cardiomyopathy, which may be reversible through iron chelation, is characterized by early diastolic dysfunction. Amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is a sensitive biomarker of diastolic dysfunction.
Aim: The aim of the study is to evaluate the diagnostic value of NT-proBNP as a surrogate marker of iron overload examined with magnetic resonance imaging T2-star (MRI T2*).
Methods: Sixty-eight β-thalassemia major patients (10-18 years) with no signs of heart failure underwent NT-proBNP measurement before routine transfusion. All participants prospectively underwent cardiac MRI T2* examination within 3 months (median 19 days). Patients were divided as cardiac hemosiderosis (cardiac MRI T2* <20 ms) and nonhemosiderosis (cardiac MRI T2* >20 ms).
Results: Of 68 patients, the male-to-female ratio was 1:1.1 and the median age was 14.1 years (range: 10-17.8 years). NT-proBNP levels were not different between hemosiderosis and nonhemosiderosis patients (P = 0.233). Further receiver operating characteristic analysis resulted in no significant correlation of NT-proBNP and MRI T2* (area under the curve 0.393, P = 0.233).
Conclusion: Measurement of NT-proBNP levels cannot be used for early detection of cardiac iron overload in adolescent with β-thalassemia major.
Keywords: Adolescent; amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide; magnetic resonance imaging T2-star; β-thalassemia major.