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Comparison between desferrioxamine and combined therapy with desferrioxamine and deferiprone in iron overloaded thalassaemia patients
Author(s) -
Mourad Fadi H.,
Hoffbrand A. Victor,
SheikhTaha Marwan,
Koussa Susane,
Khoriaty Adlette I.,
Taher Ali
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.2003.04240.x
Subject(s) - deferiprone , deferoxamine , chelation therapy , iron therapy , chelation , excretion , medicine , gastroenterology , chemistry , thalassemia , anemia , iron deficiency , organic chemistry
Summary. Desferrioxamine (DFX) alone (40–50 mg/kg/d s.c. over 8–12 h, five times weekly) was compared with combined DFX twice weekly and deferiprone (75 mg/kg/d) over 12 months in previously poorly chelated thalassaemia patients. Serum ferritin fell from 5506 ± 635 µg/l (mean ± SEM) to 3998 ± 604 µg/l ( P < 0·001; n = 14) in the DFX group and from 4153 ± 517 µg/l to 2805 ± 327 µg/l in the combined group ( P < 0·01; n = 11). Deferiprone plus DFX produced a greater mean urine iron excretion (1·01 mg/kg/24 h) than iron intake from blood transfusion in each patient. Main side‐effects were skin reactions (DFX alone), nausea and arthralgia (combined therapy). As chelation therapy, the combined protocol was as effective as DFX five times weekly.