A prospective randomized controlled trial on the safety and efficacy of alternating deferoxamine and deferiprone in the treatment of iron overload in patients with thalassemia.
We compared the safety and efficacy of alternating deferoxamine and deferiprone with that of deferoxamine monotherapy. Sixty transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients regularly treated with deferoxamine were randomized to continue deferoxamine alone or to receive an alternating therapy for one year. Both arms resulted in equivalent decreases of serum ferritin and liver iron concentration. There was no significant difference in the proportion of patients with adverse events in the two therapy groups although the nature of the adverse events differed according to the chelation regimen.
Galanello
Renzo
R
Department of Biomedical Science and Biotechnology, University of Cagliari, Ospedale Microcitemico, Italy. renzo.galanello@mcweb.unica.it
Kattamis
Antonis
A
Piga
Antonio
A
Fischer
Roland
R
Leoni
Giovanbattista
G
Ladis
Vassilios
V
Voi
Vincenzo
V
Lund
Ulrich
U
Tricta
Fernando
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000077543:Deferiprone; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D011728:Pyridones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D011728:Pyridones; D000077543:Deferiprone; D003676:Deferoxamine