Drug Res (Stuttg) 2017; 67(07): 404-411
DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-102691
Original Article
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Prevention of Iron Overload and Long Term Maintenance of Normal Iron Stores in Thalassaemia Major Patients using Deferiprone or Deferiprone Deferoxamine Combination

Annita Kolnagou
1   Postgraduate Research Institute of Science, Technology, Environment and Medicine Limassol, Cyprus
2   Thalassaemia Unit, Paphos General Hospital, Paphos, Cyprus
,
Christina N. Kontoghiorghe
1   Postgraduate Research Institute of Science, Technology, Environment and Medicine Limassol, Cyprus
,
George J. Kontoghiorghes
1   Postgraduate Research Institute of Science, Technology, Environment and Medicine Limassol, Cyprus
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 01 October 2016

accepted 30 January 2017

Publication Date:
20 March 2017 (online)

Abstract

Background

Decrease in mortality and morbidity is observed in thalassaemia major patients with reduced iron load in comparison to heavy iron loaded patients. Effective and complete treatment of transfusional iron overload can be achieved by chelation protocols that can eliminate excess iron and maintain normal iron stores (NIS).

Methods

The maintenance of NIS, i. e., serum ferritin (350 μg/L >), MRI T2* cardiac (>20 ms) and liver (>6.3 ms) relaxation time levels was monitored in 16 thalassaemia major patients (32–53 years, 12 splenectomized, 10 male, erythrocyte transfusions 120–323 ml/kg/year) for about 90 patient years. The patients were treated with individualised tailor-made deferiprone or deferiprone/deferoxamine combination protocols.

Results

In 8 patients deferiprone (50–100 mg/kg/day) was sufficient for maintaining NIS and withdrawal of deferiprone for 28 months in total was necessary in 4 patients for preventing iron deficiency. In 3 other patients intermittent deferoxamine (50–75 mg/kg/8–30 h, 1–4 days/week) in combination with deferiprone (75–100 mg/kg/day) was sufficient for maintaining NIS. In the remaining 5 patients deferiprone (75–100 mg/kg/day) and deferoxamine (50–60 mg/kg/8–15 h, 1–7 days/week) combination was used for maintaining NIS, as a result of increased transfusions which were caused mainly by splenomegaly and infections. No toxic side effects were detected during the study. Lower chelation doses were used for the maintenance of NIS in comparison to iron loaded categories of patients.

Conclusion

The safe maintenance of NIS using deferiprone and deferiprone/deferoxamine combinations should be considered as an optimum therapy for the complete treatment of iron overload in the majority of thalassaemia patients.

 
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