Evaluation of the Relationship between T۲*CMR and Cardiac Depolarization and Repolarization Parameters in Beta-Thalassemia Patients

Background: Cardiac iron overload causes severe cardiac complications and is a leading cause of death in beta-thalassemia major patient. T۲*CMR can detect preclinical cardiac iron overload. We evaluated the ability of ۱۲-lead electrocardiographic atrial and ventricular depolarization and repolarization parameters to predict cardiac iron loading in TM.Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on Patients with Beta thalassemia major; all participants underwent standard ۱۲ lead electrocardiogram during a single study visit and the depolarization and repolarization parameters of ECG were measured and compared to the cardiac iron level detected by T۲*CMR, with a detectable cardiac iron cutoff of T۲*less than ۲۰ ms.Results: A total of ۲۶ patients (mean ۲۶.۱۹ years old, ۳۴.۶۲% male) were included. Mean T۲*CMR values were ۲۱.۵۳ ms (۴۶.۱۵% <۲۰ ms, ۵۳.۸۵% ≥۲۰ ms). Among ECG parameters, only Pwd, QTc and QTcd (p: ۰.۰۲۶, ۰.۰۳۰, and ۰.۰۰۶ respectively) were significantly prolonged in patients with T۲* < ۲۰ ms compared to patients with T۲*≥ ۲۰ ms. There was a statistically negative Correlation between T۲ * CMR and Pwd and QTcd (p: ۰.۰۲۸, and ۰.۰۲۱ respectively). Moreover, no correlation was found between Tp-e, Tp-e d, JTc, JTcd, Tp-e/QT, Tp-e/JT, Tp-e/JTc and T۲* values.Conclusions: PWD and QTcd can be used as an alternative to T۲*CMR to predict cardiac iron load levels in patients with beta thalassemia major.