title: Intensification of chelating-therapy in patients with thalassemia major.
abstract: With the introduction of "hypertransfusion" regimens the extent of disease- and therapy-related hemosiderosis has become the survival limiting factor for patients with beta-thalassemia major as iron transferred with transfusions cannot be excreted by physiological means. Subsequent introduction of deferoxamine therapy for iron elimination and prophylaxis of hemosiderosis has improved prognosis and life quality of these patients considerably. We report our experience with seven adolescent patients with beta-thalassemia and ineffective subcutaneous therapy and severe hemosiderosis-related organ complications. For that reason they received i. v. intensified chelate therapy. The patients were given 70 to 120 mg/kg DFO 7 days a week continuously via a Port-a-cath or Hickman central venous line. Under high-dose i. v. DFO therapy, serum ferritin levels significantly decreased in all patients. Target serum ferritin levels of 3 000 ng/ml were reached after 12 to 20 months of treatment. In 3 of the 5 patients that were treated for longer than 43 months serum ferritin levels even dropped below 2 000 ng/ml. Serum ferritin levels also correlated well with SQUID examinations. Therefore, monitoring of serum ferritin may be useful to monitor patient's compliance and control intensified DFO therapy. Continuous administration of the intensified DFO therapy induced normalization of liver function and left ventricular cardiac function in all patients who are still alive. Two patients died due to cardiac decompensation. In five patients 19 episodes of central catheter-related infections were observed (1.5 infections per 1 000 catheter days). No DFO-associated allergic reactions nor irreversible organ dysfunction were observed. Our results indicate that intensified i. v. DFO therapy is an effective and safe method for treatment of severe organ dysfunction in patients with thalassemia major. The most severe problems are catheter-related infections and inconsistent long-term compliance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Immunology, Heinrich-Heine University Medical Center Düsseldorf. laws@uni-duesseldorf.de
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Laws
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Göbel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Christaras
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Janssen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D005293:Ferritins; D003676:Deferoxamine