Right Heart Catheterization and Endomyocardial Biopsy in The Patients with Sickle Cell Anemia

The aim of the study was to investigate the pathological changes of cardiac morphology and cardiac muscle in sickle cell anemia. Eight male and two female patients (aged 16-29 years) were included in this study. The patients were diagnosed with total blood count and hemoglobin electrophoresis. In all patients cardiac chambers dilatation systolic and/or diastolic function disturbances were shown with cardiac findings, electrocardiography, telecardiography and echocardiography. All the patients subsequently underwent right heart catheterization and endomyocardial biopsy. It was found that pulmonary arterial and right ventricular pressures were high in 8 patients (80%). Ultra-structure of the myocardium was nonspecific. By light microscopy myocardial hypertrophy was observed in 9 cases (90%), myocardial fibrosis in 7 (70%) and interstitial edema in 4 (30%) It was concluded that in these patients the above cardiac findings were sub-clinical, non specific and of medium intensity.