Rombos Y, Tzanetea R, Konstantopoulos K, Simitzis S, Zervas C, Kyriaki P, Kavouklis M, Aessopos A, Sakellaropoulos N, Karagiorga M, Kalotychou V, Loukopoulos D. Chelation therapy in patients with thalassemia using the orally active iron chelator deferiprone (L1).
Haematologica 2000;
85:115-7. [PMID:
10681716]
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Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Excessive hemosiderosis is the main reason for the multi-organ failure observed in multitransfused patients. Deferiprone (1,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-pyridine-4-one, L1) is an orally active iron chelator mainly excreted via urine. We conducted a study in order to determine the efficacy and safety of L1 in Greek thalassemic patients.
DESIGN AND METHODS
A group of 11 thalassaemic patients entered the study; L1, the Cipla formulation for deferiprone, at a daily dose of 75-100 mg/kg bw t.i.d. was used. After giving informed consent all patients were subjected to clinical examination and biological tests.
RESULTS
All patients tolerated the L1 well; there were no significant side effects (except for slight gastrointestinal disturbances for the first days). The net urinary iron excretion ranged from 6.96 to 26.1 mg/24h. Serum ferritin declined within 4-6 months in most of the patients.
INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that L1 is a rather safe drug which decreases iron overload without causing any considerable side-effects in Greek thalassemics.
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