title: Subclinical VEP abnormalities in patients on chronic deferoxamine therapy: longitudinal studies.
abstract: As deferoxamine (DFO) appeared to have certain toxic effects on the sensory pathways in some of our patients on nightly subcutaneous deferoxamine (DFO) for transfusion-dependent anemia, treatment was stopped in all of these patients to obtain a comprehensive baseline assessment of sensory function. Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) were studied in all patients; the 77 described in this report all had normal ophthalmological examinations. Abnormally prolonged VEP latencies were found in 21%. The patients remained off DFO for 2-6 months, and most of those with abnormal VEPs who were retested showed improvement in their VEPs over this period with the VEPs returning to within normal range in half the cases; two showed no change. Since restarting DFO, VEP latencies in 10 of these patients have increased again beyond normal limits, as have the VEPs in 7 who had previously normal VEPs. Although most of the 77 patients have VEPs that are currently normal and stable while on DFO, a significant sub-group have abnormal VEPs that appear sensitive to the administration of DFO and may reflect a vulnerability to DFO neurotoxicity. These data suggest that the VEPs can detect subclinical toxic effects of DFO on the visual system and should be considered as a monitor for patients receiving chronic DFO therapy.
mesh_terms: D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000187:drug effects*; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011930:Reaction Time; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005293:Ferritins; D003676:Deferoxamine