title: Comparison between desferrioxamine and combined therapy with desferrioxamine and deferiprone in iron overloaded thalassaemia patients.
abstract: Desferrioxamine (DFX) alone (40-50 mg/kg/d s.c. over 8-12 h, five times weekly) was compared with combined DFX twice weekly and deferiprone (75 mg/kg/d) over 12 months in previously poorly chelated thalassaemia patients. Serum ferritin fell from 5506 +/- 635 microg/l (mean +/- SEM) to 3998 +/- 604 microg/l (P < 0.001; n = 14) in the DFX group and from 4153 +/- 517 microg/l to 2805 +/- 327 microg/l in the combined group (P < 0.01; n = 11). Deferiprone plus DFX produced a greater mean urine iron excretion (1.01 mg/kg/24 h) than iron intake from blood transfusion in each patient. Main side-effects were skin reactions (DFX alone), nausea and arthralgia (combined therapy). As chelation therapy, the combined protocol was as effective as DFX five times weekly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, The American University of Beirut Medical Centre, Beirut, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Fadi H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Mourad
authors.forename: A Victor
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Hoffbrand
authors.forename: Marwan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sheikh-Taha
authors.forename: Susane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koussa
authors.forename: Adlette I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Khoriaty
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taher
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D000077543:Deferiprone; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D011728:Pyridones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D011728:Pyridones; D000077543:Deferiprone; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron; D003676:Deferoxamine