title: [Iron chelation in children].
abstract: Iron-chelating treatment is indicated in all children on prolonged transfusion therapy (i.e., chiefly patients with thalassemia and Blackfan-Diamond anemia). The purpose of iron-chelating treatment is to prevent the development of manifestations of iron overload including cardiac hemosiderosis and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (which are two potentially fatal complications), hepatic cirrhosis, hypoparathyroidism, hypothyroidism, and delayed puberty. Deferoxamine is the only effective iron-chelating agent and should be given in a daily dose of 40 mg/kg at initiation of the transfusion program. Administration is by subcutaneous infusions from 8 to 10 hours per day. The goal of iron-chelating treatment is to maintain serum ferritin levels between 500 and 1,000 ng/ml. This long-term treatment is a significant burden for patients and it can be hoped that non-toxic iron-chelating agents, active by mouth, will become available.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Montalembert
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guillemot
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clairicia
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Girot
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
chemical_list: D007502:Iron Chelating Agents
vernacular_title: La chélation du fer chez l'enfant.