Evaluation and treatment of transfusional iron overload in children.
Red blood cell transfusions are increasingly used in the management of various anemias, including thalassemia and sickle cell disease. Because the body lacks physiologic mechanisms for removing excess iron, transfusional iron overload is a common complication in children receiving regular transfusions. Iron chelation is necessary to remove the excess iron that causes injury to the heart, liver, and endocrine organs. Three chelators, deferoxamine, deferasirox, and deferiprone, are currently available in the United States. When choosing a chelator regimen, patients, parents, and providers may consider a variety of factors, including the severity of iron overload, administration schedule, and adverse effect profile.
Division of Hematology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, 34th Street, Civic Center Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Hannah M
HM
Ware
Janet L
JL
Kwiatkowski
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D007501:Iron
Chelation; Iron overload; Magnetic resonance imaging; Transfusion