The occurrence of pulmonary hypertension in patients with thalassemia major

  • Hasan Basri
  • Armijn Firman
  • Kusnandi Rusmil
  • Eddy Fadlyana
Keywords: pulmonary hypertension, thalassemia major, blood transfusion, echocardiography

Abstract

Background The life of patients with thalassemia major depends
on blood transfusions, while repeated blood transfusions may cause
adverse effects such as iron deposition in various organs, includ-
ing heart and lungs, which eventually increases the pulmonary
arterial pressure.
Objective This study was proposed to know the occurrence of
pulmonary hypertension in patients with thalassemia major, mea-
sured by echocardiography in the Thalassemia Clinic, Department
of Child Health, Medical School, Padjadjaran University/Hasan
Sadikin Hospital, Bandung.
Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out
on 30 patients with thalassemia major, aged 10-14 year-old who
received repeated blood transfusions. The study was conducted
from April to May 2002. Subjects were examined right after a
blood transfusion completed and the pulmonary arterial pres-
sure was assessed using Doppler–echocardiography and 2-D
echocardiography.
Results Twenty two out of 30 subjects showed pulmonary hyper-
tension, with pulmonary arterial pressure ranged between 32.3 to
46.2 mmHg. According to the age group, pulmonary hypertension
was found in 12 out of 17 subjects aged 10-12 years old and 10
out of 13 subjects aged 13-14 years old.
Conclusion The occurrence of pulmonary hypertension in patients
with thalassemia major at Hasan Sadikin Hospital was 22/30 and
seemed to increase with the age of the patients

Author Biographies

Hasan Basri
Department of Child Health, Medical School, Padjadjaran
University, Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung.
Armijn Firman
Department of Child Health, Medical School, Padjadjaran
University, Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung.
Kusnandi Rusmil
Department of Child Health, Medical School, Padjadjaran
University, Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung.
Eddy Fadlyana
Department of Child Health, Medical School, Padjadjaran
University, Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung.

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Published
2016-09-26
How to Cite
1.
Basri H, Firman A, Rusmil K, Fadlyana E. The occurrence of pulmonary hypertension in patients with thalassemia major. PI [Internet]. 26Sep.2016 [cited 29Mar.2024];43(5):162-. Available from: https://paediatricaindonesiana.org/index.php/paediatrica-indonesiana/article/view/686
Received 2016-09-24
Accepted 2016-09-24
Published 2016-09-26