Azarkeivan A., Karimian Kh.,  Mirtorabi Mahabadi S., Shaiegan M., Narenjian A. and Eslami M.

Blood Transfusion Research center, High Institute for Research and Education in Transfusion Medicine,  Tehran, Iran

Abstract:

Introduction: Iron overload is cosequence of chronic bloodtransfusion with treatment of  iron chealation drugs.One of these drugs is deferiprone (L1) which is usually used as combination therapy with desferoxamin especially in high ironload patients. Nausea and vomiting is the common side effects of L1which sometimes gets so bad that the patient cannot tolerate the drug. We tried a new form of drug (Enteric coated; EC) with the aim of decreasing the gastric side effects.

Methods: 100patients with ironover load and gastric side  effects were analyzed for 6 months. All of them were on combination therapy with desferoxamin and couldnot  tolerate L1 because of sever nausea and vomiting.

Results: 2patients were omited from study becauseof  moving  to other cities. 98 patients remained on L1Ec form, 39 male, 59 female,mean age 25.15±6.03yr. Dose of the L1 was75mg/kg. 4 patients couldnot continue the treatment:3 patients due to  recurrence of nausea and vomiting and 1because of artheralgia. 94 (95.9%) could tolerate the L1EC form and continued the treatment successfully.

Conclusion: The enteric form of L1 had good  results on GI side effects reduction  so that 96 % of patients could tolerate the medication and continue the treatment without any nausea and vomiting.