title: Effect of subcutaneous desferrioxamine on iron balance in young thalassemia major patients.
abstract: In this study we evaluated the effect of 1-year, subcutaneous desferrioxamine daily infusion on iron balance in 23 thalassemia major children, aged 8-74 months, with transfusional iron accumulation less than 3.8 g at the outset of the trial. Statistical analysis showed a significant correlation between transfusional iron accumulation and percentage of transfusional iron eliminated. Confidence limits analysis of these data indicated that over 3.5 g of transfusional iron load, 95% of the patients may achieve balance. The appropriate time to begin desferrioxamine infusion, therefore, seems to be after about 30 transfusions of packed red blood cells when iron accumulation of approximately 3 g is reached. As we found a statistically significant correlation between transfusional iron eliminated and serum ferritin levels, the evaluation of serum ferritin alone can also predict when balance can be obtained.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007501:Iron; D003676:Deferoxamine