1. Monitoring cardiac function during idebenone therapy in Friedreich's ataxia.
- Author
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Giovanni DS, Valeria P, Bahaa F, and Majid AF
- Subjects
- Friedreich Ataxia diagnosis, Heart drug effects, Heart physiopathology, Humans, Ubiquinone therapeutic use, Friedreich Ataxia drug therapy, Friedreich Ataxia physiopathology, Heart Function Tests drug effects, Ubiquinone analogs & derivatives
- Abstract
Friedreich's ataxia (FA) is associated with progressive cardiac hypertrophy resulting from a genetic abnormality in the frataxin gene. Cardiac involvement is the most common cause of death (59%) in FA patients. Cardiac related death occurs at a significantly younger age than non-cardiac related death. Idebenone is a short-chain quinone analogue with a potent free-radical scavenger action. This drug has the potential to preserve and even improve mitochondrial function.Studies on Idebenone treatment showed rather conflicting results on FA cardiomyopathy. The present article reviews the clinical features of FA cardiomyopathy, imaging techniques used to diagnose, follow and monitor therapy which aimed to revert FA cardiomyopathy.
- Published
- 2015
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