title: Effects of combined deferiprone and desferrioxamine iron chelating therapy in beta-thalassemia major end-stage heart failure: a case report.
abstract: Despite usual iron chelating therapy based on desferrioxamine, patients affected by beta-thalassemia major (beta-TM) often develop progressive heart failure caused by myocardial iron overload, which is the leading cause of mortality within the third decade of life. Heart transplantation is a limited therapeutic option, as very often these patients have multi-organ iron deposits and infective complications (particularly hepatitis C), secondary to frequent blood transfusions. We report the case of a 26-year-old male affected by beta-TM with end-stage heart failure, who showed a dramatic improvement in symptoms and myocardial function when a new oral iron chelating agent, deferiprone, was added to standard therapy with desferrioxamine.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Azienda Ospedaliera G. Brotzu, Cagliari, Italy. maurizioporcu@aob.it <maurizioporcu@aob.it>
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Porcu
authors.forename: Novella
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Landis
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salis
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Corda
authors.forename: Pierpaolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Orrù
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Usai
authors.forename: Gildo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Matta
authors.forename: Renzo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Galanello
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000077543:Deferiprone; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D011728:Pyridones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D011728:Pyridones; D000077543:Deferiprone; D005293:Ferritins; D003676:Deferoxamine