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Effects of combined deferiprone and desferrioxamine iron chelating therapy in β‐thalassemia major end‐stage heart failure
Author(s) -
Porcu Maurizio,
Landis Novella,
Salis Stefano,
Corda Marco,
Orrù Pierpaolo,
Serra Emanuela,
Usai Barbara,
Matta Gildo,
Galanello Renzo
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
european journal of heart failure
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.149
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1879-0844
pISSN - 1388-9842
DOI - 10.1016/j.ejheart.2006.08.006
Subject(s) - deferiprone , medicine , thalassemia , heart failure , deferoxamine , chelation therapy , deferasirox , hepatitis c , intensive care medicine , cardiology
Despite usual iron chelating therapy based on desferrioxamine, patients affected by β‐thalassemia major (β‐TM) often develop progressive heart failure caused by myocardial iron overload, which is the leading cause of mortality within the third decade of life. Heart transplantation is a limited therapeutic option, as very often these patients have multi‐organ iron deposits and infective complications (particularly hepatitis C), secondary to frequent blood transfusions. We report the case of a 26‐year‐old male affected by β‐TM with end‐stage heart failure, who showed a dramatic improvement in symptoms and myocardial function when a new oral iron chelating agent, deferiprone, was added to standard therapy with desferrioxamine.