Effect of Oral Iron Chelator Deferiprone on Skeletal Radiography of Thalassemia Major Patients

Abstract

Regular blood transfusion along with iron chelation therapy is a supportive treatment for thalassemia major. Chelation therapy too has its side effects. The most common adverse effects associated with administration of deferiprone are agranulocytosis, neutropenia and arthralgia, primarily, of the large joints. Objective : The study was undertaken to examine the effect of deferiprone on the large bone joints of thalassemia major patients. Material and Methods: Thalassemia major patients (62) on hyper-transfusion treatment regime aged between 4 19 years were assigned to three groups. Group I included 42 patient taking deferiprone, Group II included 10 patients on deferoxamine, and Group III included 10 patients who were not taking chelation therapy.