Efficacy and safety of deferiprone (Ferriprox), an oral iron-chelating agent, in pediatric patients.
BACKGROUND
Iron overload is a predictable and life-threatening complication in patients dependent on the regular transfusion of RBCs. The aims of this study were to investigate the efficacy and safety of deferiprone in a variety of pediatric hematologic and/or oncologic patients with a high iron overload.


METHODS
SEVENTEEN PATIENTS (AGE: 1.1-20.4 years; median: 10.6 years) from 7 hospitals who were treated with deferiprone from 2006 to 2009 were enrolled in this study. Medical records of enrolled patients were reviewed retrospectively.


RESULTS
Serum ferritin levels were 4,677.8±1,130.9 µg/L at baseline compared to 3,363.9±1,149.7 µg/L at the end of deferiprone treatment (P=0.033). Only 1 patient developed neutropenia as a complication.


CONCLUSIONS
Deferiprone treatment is relatively safe for pediatric patients suffering from various hematologic and oncologic diseases that require RBC transfusions as part of treatment. However, the potential development of critical complications such as agranulocytosis and/or neutropenia remains a concern.
Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.
Sung Chul
SC
Won
Dong Kyun
DK
Han
Jong Jin
JJ
Seo
Nak Gyun
NG
Chung
Sang Kyu
SK
Park
Kyung Bae
KB
Park
Hoon
H
Kook
Chuhl Joo
CJ
Lyu