Danish A. Jabbar, MD Department of Internal Medicine, Saint Luke’s Hospital, Saint Louis, MO
Glenn Davison, MD Department of Cardiology, Saint Luke’s Hospital, Saint Louis, MO
Anthony J. Muslin, MD Oliver M. Langenberg Distinguished Professor of the Science and Practice of Medicine; Co-Director, Physician Scientist Training Program; Director, Cardiology Research Fellowship Program, Center for Cardiovascular Research, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO
Address: Danish Jabbar, MD, St. Luke’s Hospital, 222 South Woods Mill Road, Suite 760N, Chesterfield, MO 63017; e-mail: djabbar@im.wustl.edu
ABSTRACTCongestive heart failure is the most common cause of death in patients with thalassemia, as chronic accumulation of iron due to regular blood transfusions leads to biventricular systolic dysfunction and death at a very young age. The quantity of iron deposited in the heart is a key determinant of outcome. Early diagnosis and intensive chelation of the cardiac iron can avert heart failure and its fatal outcome.