Comparison between desferrioxamine and combined therapy with desferrioxamine and deferiprone in iron overloaded thalassaemia patients

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
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.