Comparison of deferasirox and deferoxamine effects on iron overload and immunological changes in patients with blood transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia.
BACKGROUND
Beta-thalassemias are a cluster of inherited (autosomal recessive) hematological disorders prevalent in the Mediterranean area due to defects in synthesis of β chains of hemoglobin. The aim of present study was to compare the effects of deferasirox and deferoxamine on iron overload and immunological changes in patients with blood transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia major and intermedia.


METHODS
This study involved 64 patients with known cases of β-thalassemia major or intermedia that has been treated with blood transfusion and iron chelators. Serum ferritin, serum iron, serum total iron binding, unsaturated iron-binding capacity (UIBC), and immunological parameters were assessed in deferoxamine and deferasirox-treated patients.


RESULTS
In deferoxamine-treated patients, serum ferritin levels were high (8160.33 ± 233.75 ng/dL) compared to deferasirox-treated patients (3000.62 ± 188.23 ng/dL;P< 0.0001), also there were significant differences in serum iron, total iron-binding capacity and UIBC (P< 0.0001) in deferasirox-treated patients compared to deferoxamine-treated patients. Immunological changes between two treated groups showed insignificant differences in levels of complements (C3 and C4) and immunoglobulin levels (IgM, IgG, and IgA)P> 0.05.


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicated that deferasirox is more effective than deferoxamine regarding the iron overload but not in the immunological profile in patients with blood transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia.
Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Medicine, College of Medicine, Al-Mustansiriya University, Baghdad, Iraq.
Hayder M
HM
Al-Kuraishy
Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Medicine, College of Medicine, Al-Mustansiriya University, Baghdad, Iraq.
Ali I
AI
Al-Gareeb
Deferasirox; deferoxamine; serum ferritin; β-thalassemia