title: Efficacy of low-dose desferrioxamine for the estimation of aluminium overload in haemodialysis patients.
abstract: In haemodialysis patients the desferrioxamine (DFO) test is an accepted method for estimating the body content of aluminium. However, toxic side effects have been frequently reported with the high-dose (30 or 40 mg/kg) DFO tests. To study if a low-dose (500 mg) DFO test was also useful and free of side effects, we compared it with a high-dose DFO test in 22 patients on regular haemodialysis. During the first two hours of dialysis, 500 mg DFO in 100 ml 0.9% NaCl were administered intravenously. Before dialysis and after 48 hours aluminium concentration was determined in serum. In 14 patients the low-dose DFO test was considered positive. In 11 of those 14 patients the high-dose (30 mg/kg) DFO test was positive too. Analysis of the results showed a significant correlation (p < 0.05) between the outcome of the two DFO tests in the same patient. Compared to the high-dose DFO test, the low-dose test revealed a sensitivity of 79% and a specificity of 63%. In contrast with the high-dose DFO test might be a reliable and safe method for the estimation of the body content of aluminium in patients on regular haemodialysis.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Pharmacy, Midden-Brabant, Tilburg, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Janssen
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: van Boven
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000535:Aluminum / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D000931:Antidotes / Q000009:adverse effects; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000009:adverse effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000931:Antidotes; D000535:Aluminum; D003676:Deferoxamine