Chelation therapy in patients with thalassemia using the orally active iron chelator deferiprone (L1).
OBJECTIVE
Excessive hemosiderosis is the main reason for the multi-organ failure observed in multitransfused patients. Deferiprone (1,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-pyridine-4-one, L1) is an orally active iron chelator mainly excreted via urine. We conducted a study in order to determine the efficacy and safety of L1 in Greek thalassemic patients.


METHODS
A group of 11 thalassaemic patients entered the study; L1, the Cipla formulation for deferiprone, at a daily dose of 75-100 mg/kg bw t.i.d. was used. After giving informed consent all patients were subjected to clinical examination and biological tests.


RESULTS
All patients tolerated the L1 well; there were no significant side effects (except for slight gastrointestinal disturbances for the first days). The net urinary iron excretion ranged from 6.96 to 26.1 mg/24h. Serum ferritin declined within 4-6 months in most of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that L1 is a rather safe drug which decreases iron overload without causing any considerable side-effects in Greek thalassemics.
Rombos
Y
Y
First Dept. of Medicine, Athens University Medical School, Laikon Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece. yrombos@otenet.gr.
Tzanetea
R
R
Konstantopoulos
K
K
Simitzis
S
S
Zervas
C
C
Kyriaki
P
P
Kavouklis
M
M
Aessopos
A
A
Sakellaropoulos
N
N
Karagiorga
M
M
Kalotychou
V
V
Loukopoulos
D
D
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000077543:Deferiprone; D006801:Humans; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011728:Pyridones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D011728:Pyridones; D000077543:Deferiprone