Prevention of iron loading in transfusion-dependent thalassaemia.
Urinary iron excretion after single intramuscular (i.m.) bolus injections or 12 h subcutaneous (s.c.) infusions of desferrioxamine (D.F.) was determined in sixteen homozygous beta-thalassaemia patients whose ages ranged from 10 months to 23 years. At all ages the s.c. infusions resulted in greater iron loss than identical i.m. doses. With doses of 0.5-1 g of D.F. as s.c. infusions eight out of nine children aged less than 6 years with a total transfusion iron load of less than 10 g excreted sufficient iron to achieve iron balance. These results suggest that iron loading in transfusion-dependent thalassaemics may be preventable by the use of an appropriate chelation regimen started early in life.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000652:urine; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000628:therapy*; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
D007501:Iron; D003676:Deferoxamine