Congestive heart failure and treatment in thalassemia major

The homozygous beta-thalassemias are a group of genetically inherited hemoglobin (Hb) disorders characterized by dyserythropoietic anemia. According to the degree of anemia, two main forms, sharing a common basic molecular mechanism, are distinguished: thalassemia major (TM) and thalassemia intermedia (TI). The severity of the clinical phenotype differentiates the two forms. Thalassemia major usually presents as a severe anemia requiring life-long transfusion therapy for survival. The dramatic improvement in life expectancy of beta-thalassemia (thal) patients achieved during the past few decades by virtue of therapeutic advances, has motivated investigators' interest in a better understanding of the clinical consequences of this genetic defect. Heart complications still represent the leading cause of mortality from the disease. The mechanisms of cardiac injury along with its treatment and prevention have attracted the main research efforts in this field. In this review, we present existing knowledge and our personal experience of 30 years of follow-up of over 1,000 thalassemic patients, regarding the basis of the cardiac injury, the clinical findings and the global strategy of the therapeutic intervention in TM patients who develop congestive heart failure (CHF).