Prevention of iron loading in transfusion-dependent thalassaemia
Pippard, M.J.; Letsky, E.A.; Callender, S.T.; Weatherall, D.J.
Lancet 1(8075): 1178-1181
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0140-6736 PMID: 77945 Document Number: 137868
Urinary iron excretion after single i.m. bolus injections or 12 h s.c. infusions of desferrioxamine (D.F.) was determined in 16 homozygous .beta.-thalassemia patients whose ages ranged 10 mo.-23 yr. At all ages the s.c. infusions resulted in greater iron loss than identical i.m. doses. With doses of 0.5-1 g of D.F. as s.c. infusions, 8 out of 9 children aged less than 6 yr with a total transfusion iron load of less than 10 g excreted sufficient iron to achieve iron balance. Iron loading in transfusion-dependent thalassemics may be preventable by the use of an appropriate chelation regimen started early in life.