title: Improved treatment satisfaction and convenience with deferasirox in iron-overloaded patients with beta-Thalassemia: Results from the ESCALATOR Trial.
abstract: Patient-reported outcomes of once-daily oral deferasirox (Exjade) in iron-overloaded patients with beta-thalassemia not achieving successful chelation with prior deferoxamine and/or deferiprone were investigated in a prospective, open-label, 1-year, multicenter study in the Middle East (ESCALATOR). The initial dose of deferasirox was 20 mg/kg/day, with subsequent dose adjustments. At baseline and the end of study (EOS), patients (n = 237) completed a 5-point rating scale for treatment satisfaction and convenience, and recorded time lost to treatment. At EOS, 90.7% of patients were 'satisfied'/'very satisfied' with their iron chelation therapy (ICT) versus 23.2% at baseline. 92.8% (EOS) versus 21.5% (baseline) of patients considered their therapy to be 'convenient'/'very convenient'. Time lost to therapy for daily activities was substantially reduced (3.2 +/- 8.6 [mean +/- SD; EOS] vs. 30.1 +/- 44.2 [baseline] h/month). Patients reported greater satisfaction and convenience, and lower impact on daily activities, with deferasirox than with previous ICT. This may help improve adherence to lifelong ICT in iron-overloaded beta-thalassemia patients.
authors.affiliation: American University of Beirut, Lebanon. ataher@aub.edu.lb
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taher
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al Jefri
authors.forename: Mohsen Saleh
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Elalfy
authors.forename: Kusai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Al Zir
authors.forename: Shahina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Daar
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rofail
authors.forename: Jean François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Baladi
authors.forename: Dany
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Habr
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kriemler-Krahn
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Beshlawy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001565:Benzoates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000077588:Deferasirox; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008877:Middle East; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014230:Triazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D001565:Benzoates; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D014230:Triazoles; D000077588:Deferasirox