Population
People with beta-thalassemia (18 studies, n= 7,189) and people with sickle cell disease (3 studies, n= 294).
Intervention
Deferiprone.
Comparison
Deferoxamine; deferasirox; combination therapy.
Outcome
Overall iron chelation therapy resulted in better overall survival, especially if it was instituted early and compliance was maintained. Comparative studies did not show any significant differences between available iron chelation agents, although there was evidence that deferiprone was better tolerated than deferoxamine and that compliance was more readily maintained with the newer oral drugs, deferiprone and deferasirox. Iron chelation therapy, particularly the second-generation oral agents, appeared to be associated with improved overall and event-free survival in transfusion-dependent patients with beta-thalassemia and patients with sickle cell disease.