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Efficacy and safety of deferoxamine, deferasirox and deferiprone triple iron chelator combination therapy for transfusion-dependent β-thalassaemia with very high iron overload: a protocol for randomised controlled clinical trial
Premawardhena, A., Perera, C., Wijethilaka, M. N., Wanasinghe, S. K., Rajakaruna, Rhmg, Samarasinghe, Rankk, Williams, S., Mettananda, S.
BMJ open. 2024;14(2):e077342
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Despite the improvement in medical management, many patients with transfusion-dependent β-thalassaemia die prematurely due to transfusion-related iron overload. As per the current guidelines, the optimal chelation of iron cannot be achieved in many patients, even with two iron chelators at their maximum therapeutic doses. Here, we evaluate the efficacy and safety of triple combination treatment with deferoxamine, deferasirox and deferiprone over dual combination of deferoxamine and deferasirox on iron chelation in patients with transfusion-dependent β-thalassaemia with very high iron overload. METHODS AND ANALYSIS This is a single-centre, open-label, randomised, controlled clinical trial conducted at the Adult and Adolescent Thalassaemia Centre of Colombo North Teaching Hospital, Ragama, Sri Lanka. Patients with haematologically and genetically confirmed transfusion-dependent β-thalassaemia are enrolled and randomised into intervention or control groups. The intervention arm will receive a combination of oral deferasirox, oral deferiprone and subcutaneous deferoxamine for 6 months. The control arm will receive the combination of oral deferasirox and subcutaneous deferoxamine for 6 months. Reduction in iron overload, as measured by a reduction in the serum ferritin after completion of the treatment, will be the primary outcome measure. Reduction in liver and cardiac iron content as measured by T2* MRI and the side effect profile of trial medications are the secondary outcome measures. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethical approval for the study has been obtained from the Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya (Ref. P/06/02/2023). The trial results will be disseminated in scientific publications in reputed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER The trial is registered in the Sri Lanka Clinical Trials Registry (Ref: SLCTR/2023/010).
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2.
Compliance and clinical benefit of deferasirox granule and dispersible tablet formulation in pediatric patients with transfusional iron overload: in a randomized, open-label, multicenter, phase II study
Taher, A. T., Wali, Y., Cruz, M. C., Charoenkwan, P., Aydinok, Y., Werner, O., Govindaraju, S., Romen, F., Viprakasit, V.
Haematologica. 2023
Abstract
CALYPSO (NCT02435212), a randomized, open-label, multicenter, phase 2 study evaluated the compliance, clinical benefits, and safety of deferasirox granules and dispersible tablets in pediatric patients with iron overload. Iron chelation therapy-naive and iron chelation therapy-pre-treated patients aged 2 to 0.5 mg/mg; 24.5% and 34.2%), upper respiratory tract infection (28.2% and 29.7%), and pyrexia (26.4% and 23.4%). In iron chelation therapy-naive patients, mean compliance and change from baseline in serum ferritin with both deferasirox formulations were not significantly different. The safety profile was comparable between granule and dispersible tablets formulations, and was consistent with the general safety profile of deferasirox.
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Association between red blood cell transfusion and bronchopulmonary dysplasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Tang, L., Zhu, T. T., Zhao, J.
Frontiers in pediatrics. 2023;11:1095889
Abstract
BACKGROUND We aimed to determine the association between red blood cell transfusions (RBCT) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in neonates. METHODS A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using data obtained from literature search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from their inception till May 1, 2022. Two reviewers independently selected potentially relevant studies, and after data extraction, they assessed the methodological quality of the included studies using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. Data were pooled using random-effects models in Review Manager 5.3. Subgroup-analysis was performed based on the number of transfusions and adjusted results. RESULTS Of the 1,011 identified records, 21 total case-control, cross-sectional, and cohort studies were selected, which included a total of 6,567 healthy controls and 1,476 patients with BPD. The pooled unadjusted odds ratio ([OR], 4.01; 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.31-6.97) and adjusted OR (5.11; 95% CI 3.11-8.4) showed significant association between RBCT and BPD. A substantial heterogeneity was noted, which could be due to different variables controlled for in each study. The subgroup analysis showed that heterogeneity may be partially explained by the extent of transfusion. CONCLUSION The association between BPD and RBCT remains unclear based on the current data due to the substantial heterogeneity among the results. Well-designed studies are still needed in the future.
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4.
A systematic review of adherence to iron chelation therapy among children and adolescents with thalassemia
Reddy PS, Locke M, Badawy SM
Annals of medicine. 2022;54(1):326-342
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Iron chelation therapy (ICT) is essential to prevent complications of iron overload in patients with transfusion-dependent thalassaemia. However, there is currently no standard for how to best measure adherence to ICT, nor what level of adherence necessitates concern for poor outcomes, especially in paediatric patients. The objectives of this review are to identify rates of adherence to ICT, predictors of adherence, methods of measurement, and adherence-related health outcomes in children and adolescents. METHODS This review covers the literature published between 1980 and 2020 on ICT in thalassaemia that assessed adherence or compliance. Included studies reflect original research. The preferred reporting items of systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed for reporting results, and the findings were critically appraised with the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine criteria. RESULTS Of the 543 articles, 37 met the inclusion criteria. The most common methods of assessing adherence included patient self-report (n = 15/36, 41.7%), and pill count (n = 15/36, 41.7%), followed by subcutaneous medication monitoring (5/36, 13.8%) and prescription refills (n = 4/36, 11.1%). Study sizes ranged from 7 to 1115 participants. Studies reported adherence either in "categories" with different levels of adherence (n = 29) or "quantitatively" as a percentage of medication taken out of those prescribed (n = 7). Quantitatively, the percentage of adherence varied from 57% to 98.4% with a median of 89.5%. Five studies focussed on interventions, four of which were designed to improve adherence. Studies varied in sample size and methods of assessment, which prohibited performing a meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS Due to a lack of clinical consensus on how adherence is defined, it is difficult to compare adherence to ICT in different studies. Future studies should be aimed at creating guidelines for assessing adherence and identifying suboptimal adherence. These future efforts will be crucial in informing evidence-based interventions to improve adherence and health outcomes in thalassaemia patients.Key messagesPredictive factors associated with ICT adherence in the paediatric population include age, social perception of ICT, social support, and side effects/discomfort.Increased adherence in the paediatric population is associated with decreased serum ferritin and improved cardiac, hepatic, and endocrine outcomes.Inadequate adherence to ICT is associated with increased lifetime health costs.There are few studies that focussed on interventions to increase adherence in the paediatric population, and the studies that do exist all focussed on different types of interventions; successful interventions focussed on consistent, long-term engagement with patients.
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Clinical Usefulness of Furosemide to Prevent Volume Overload Among Children and Young Adults with Transfusion-Dependent Thalassemia: A Randomized, Open-Label, Crossover Study
Photia A, Traivaree C, Monsereenusorn C, Simthamnimit P, Rujkijyanont P
Journal of blood medicine. 2020;11:503-513
Abstract
PURPOSE Red blood cell transfusion is a key element of treatment among patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT). Volume overload and HCC syndrome (hypertension, convulsion, and intracranial hemorrhage) are fatal complications related to transfusion. Furosemide has been widely used to prevent hypertension secondary to volume overload with unclear supportive evidence. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of furosemide to prevent volume overload among children and young adults diagnosed with TDT. METHODS Patients diagnosed with TDT were enrolled and randomized to receive either furosemide pretransfusion or no furosemide pretransfusion. After 3 weeks to 4 months of wash-out periods, those patients underwent the alternate regimens as per crossover design of the study. Clinical and laboratory parameters including blood pressure and NT-proBNP levels were measured before and after each transfusion. The difference of those parameters between two randomized groups and their potential associated factors were analyzed. RESULTS In all, 30 patients undergoing 60 red blood cell transfusions were enrolled in the study. All were randomized and crossover was designed as receiving and not receiving furosemide pretransfusion. No transfusion reactions, symptoms of volume overload and HCC syndrome were observed. No statistically significant correlation was found between pretransfusion furosemide and the difference between pre- and posttransfusion systolic blood pressure (2 mmHg systolic blood pressure difference in pretransfusion furosemide and 1.5 mmHg in no pretransfusion furosemide; p-value = 0.721), as well as between pretransfusion furosemide and the difference between pre- and posttransfusion NT-proBNP levels (-3.8 pg/mL NT-proBNP level difference in pretransfusion furosemide and -2.4 pg/mL in no pretransfusion furosemide; p-value = 0.490). No significant correlation was also observed even in selected patients with high NT-proBNP levels (p-value = 0.262). Associated factors affecting the difference between pre- and posttransfusion NT-proBNP levels were analyzed, and none of those were affected concerning the difference in the levels. CONCLUSION Furosemide has been included in standard transfusion guidelines in many institutions. Our study provided important evidence of the unnecessary use of the drug in preventing volume overload particularly in pediatric and young adult patients with TDT. THAI CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRY TCTR NUMBER TCTR20180209001. Registered 6 February 2018, https://www.clinicaltrials.in.th/.
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Randomized controlled trial of effect of N-acetylcysteine as an antioxidant on iron overload in children with thalassemia major
Mohamed YA, Meabed MH, Ashraf A, Morgan DS, Abdul Latif MG, Abd-Elkareem RM, Ahmed HM
Clinical and experimental pediatrics. 2020
Abstract
BACKGROUND β-Thalassemias are characterized by the presence of mutations in the globin gene that result in the absence or reduced synthesis of β-globin chains of the hemoglobin tetramer. Several studies have reported increased oxidative stress in β-thalassemia major (β-TM) patients. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a derivative of L-cysteine amino acid, is commonly used as a mucolytic drug. Numerous studies have reported efficient antioxidant activity of NAC. PURPOSE To evaluate the effects of NAC on oxidative stress status and hemoglobin levels in children with β-TM. METHODS This study was conducted between June and December 2019. One hundred β-TM patients were divided into two groups: 50 received NAC 10 mg/kg orally for 3 months (treatment group), while the other 50 received no treatment (non-treatment group). Total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), oxidative stress index (OSI), and hemoglobin (Hb) and ferritin levels were measured and compared between groups. RESULTS At the end of the study period, Hb and TAC levels were significantly higher in the treatment group than in the non-treatment group (P < .001 and .01, respectively). On the other hand, serum ferritin levels, TOS, and OSI were significantly lower (P = .004, .01, and .001, respectively) in the treatment group. CONCLUSION NAC can effectively reduce the oxidative status and increase the pre-transfusion Hb levels in children with β-TM. Furthermore, NAC could reduce iron overload in these patients.
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Safety and efficacy of early start of iron chelation therapy with deferiprone in young children newly diagnosed with transfusion-dependent thalassemia: a randomized controlled trial
Elalfy MS, Adly A, Awad H, Tarif Salam M, Berdoukas V, Tricta F
American Journal of Hematology. 2017;93((2):):262-268
Abstract
Iron overload is inevitable in patients who are transfusion dependent. In young children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT), current practice is to delay the start of iron chelation therapy due to concerns over toxicities, which have been observed when deferoxamine was started too early. However, doing so may increase the risk of iron accumulation that will be manifested as toxicities later in life. This study investigated whether deferiprone, a chelator with a lower affinity for iron than deferoxamine, could postpone transfusional iron overload while maintaining a good safety profile. Recently diagnosed TDT infants (N=64 their age ranged from10-18 (median 12) months, 54.7% males; receiving < or = 6 transfusions; serum ferittin (SF) >400-< 1000 ng/ml were randomized to "early start deferiprone" (.ES-DFP) at a low dose (50 mg/kg/day) or to "delay chelation" (DC), and remained in the study until their serum ferritin (SF) level reached ≥1000 mug/L. 61 patients continued the study Levels of transferrin saturation (TSAT) and labile plasma iron (LPI) were measured as well. By approximately 6 months post-randomization, 100% of the subjects in DC group had achieved SF > 1000 microg/L and TSAT > 70% compared with none in the ES-DFP group. LPI level >0.6 microM was observed in 97% vs. 40% of the DS and ES groups, respectively, (p<0.001). The time to reach SF>1000 microg/L was delayed by 6 months in the ES-DFP group (P<0.001) without escalating DFP dose. No unexpected, serious, or severe adverse events were seen in the ES-DFP group. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Iron chelation monotherapy in transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia major patients: a comparative study of deferasirox and deferoxamine
Hassan MA, Tolba OA
Electronic Physician. 2016;8((5)):2425-31.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Iron overload is the primary cause of mortality and morbidity in thalassemia major (TM) despite advances in chelation therapy. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness and safety of deferasirox (DFX) and deferoxamine (DFO) as iron-chelating agents in patients with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia major. METHODS This prospective randomized study included 60 patients with transfusion-dependent beta-TM during the period from September 2014 to September 2015. Their ages were ≥ 6 years, and they had serum ferritin above 1500 mug/L and were on irregular DFO therapy. Patients had regular packed red cell transfusion in a dose of 10 mL/kg/session. They were randomized to receive DFX (single oral daily dose of 20-40 mg/kg/day) or DFO (20-50 mg/kg/day via subcutaneous infusion over 8-10 hours, 5 days a week). Iron overload was determined by serum ferritin level. The primary endpoint was decrease of serum ferritin level below 1500 mug/L. The secondary endpoint was drug safety. RESULTS Both drugs significantly reduced serum ferritin (p < 0.001). At the end of follow-up, there were no significant differences between the two groups in serum ferritin levels (p = 0.673) and in percent reduction of ferritin (p = 0.315). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the total amount of blood transfusion (p = 0.166) and average iron intake (p = 0.227). There were no mortalities or any serious adverse effects, neutropenia, arthropathy, or pulmonary toxicity. Gastrointestinal upset and skin rash occurred more frequently with DFX than with DFO (p = 0.254 and 0.095, respectively). CONCLUSION With appropriate dosing and compliance with drugs, both DFX and DFO are generally well tolerated, safe, and effective in reducing serum ferritin levels in iron-overloaded, regularly-transfused thalassemia major patients. Therefore, oral DFX is recommended for more convenience and adherence to the treatment regimen.
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9.
Safety profiles of iron chelators in young patients with haemoglobinopathies
Botzenhardt S, Li Nn Chan EW, Sing CW, Wong IC, Neubert A
European Journal of Haematology.. 2016;98((3):):198-217
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Abstract
BACKGROUND This review describes the safety of deferoxamine (DFO), deferiprone (DFP), deferasirox (DFX), and combined therapy in young patients less than 25 years of age with haemoglobinopathies. METHOD Searches in electronic literature databases were performed. Studies reporting adverse events associated with iron chelation therapy were included. Study and reporting quality was assessed using AHRQ Risk of Bias Assessment Tool and McMaster Quality Assessment Scale of Harms. Prospective clinical studies were pooled in a random-effects meta-analysis of proportions. RESULTS Safety data of 2,040 patients from 34 studies were included. 92 case reports of 246 patients were identified. DFX (937 patients) and DFP (667 patients) possess the largest published safety evidence. Fewer studies on combination regimens are available. Increased transaminases were seen in all regimens (3.9-31.3%) and gastrointestinal disorders with DFP and DFX (3.7-18.4% and 5.8-18.8%, respectively). Therapy discontinuations due to adverse events were low (0-4.1%). Reporting quality was selective and poor in most of the studies. CONCLUSION Iron chelation therapy is generally safe in young patients and published data corresponds to summary of product characteristics. Each iron chelation regimen has its specific safety risks. DFO seems not to be associated with serious adverse effects in recommended doses. In DFP and DFX rare, but serious adverse reactions can occur. Data on combined therapy is scarce, but it seems equally safe compared to monotherapy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.Copyright This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. ES 1600-0609 IL 0902-4441
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Population pharmacokinetics and dosing recommendations for the use of deferiprone in children younger than 6 years of age
Bellanti F, Del Vecchio GC, Putti MC, Maggio A, Filosa A, Cosmi C, Mangiarini L, Spino M, Connelly J, Ceci A, et al
British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 2016;83((3):):593-602
Abstract
AIMS: Despite long clinical experience with deferiprone, there is limited information on its pharmacokinetics in children < 6 years of age. Here we assess the impact of developmental growth on the pharmacokinetics of deferiprone in this population using a population approach. Based on pharmacokinetic bridging concepts, we also evaluate whether the recommended doses yield appropriate systemic exposure in this group of patients. METHODS Data from a study in which 18 paediatric patients were enrolled were available for the purposes of this analysis. Patients were randomised to three deferiprone dose levels (8.3, 16.7 and 33.3 mg/kg). Blood samples were collected according to an optimised sampling scheme in which each patient contributed to a maximum of five samples. A population pharmacokinetic model was developed using NONMEM v.7.2. Model selection criteria were based on graphical and statistical summaries. RESULTS A one-compartment model with first-order absorption and first-order elimination best described the pharmacokinetics of deferiprone. Drug disposition parameters were affected by body weight, with both clearance and volume increasing allometrically with size. Simulation scenarios show that comparable systemic exposure (AUC) is achieved in children and adults after similar dose levels in mg/kg, with median (5-95th quantiles) AUC values respectively of 340.6 (223.2-520.0) and 318.5 (200.4-499.0) micromol/L*h at 75 mg/kg/day and 453.7 (297.3-693.0) and 424.2 (266.9-664.0) at 100 mg/kg/day t.i.d. doses. CONCLUSIONS Based on the current findings, a dosing regimen of 25 mg/kg t.i.d. is recommended in children below 6 years of age, with the possibility of titration up to 33.3 mg/kg t.i.d.