Deferasirox in children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia or sickle

Objectives To evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of deferasirox therapy in a large observational cohort of children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) and sickle cell anemia (SCA) in Turkey. Methods This was a multicenter, prospective cohort study including TDT and SCA patients aged 2-18 years with iron overload (>= 100 mL/kg of pRBC or a serum ferritin [SF] level >1000 mu g/L) receiving deferasirox. Patients were followed for up to 3 years according to standard practice. Results A total of 439 patients were evaluated (415 [94.5%] TDT, 143 [32.6%] between 2 and 6 years). Serum ferritin levels consistently and significantly decreased across 3 years of deferasirox therapy from a median of 1775.5 to 1250.5 mu g/L (P < 0.001). Serum ferritin decreases were noted in TDT (1804.9 to 1241 mu g/L), SCA (1655.5 to 1260 mu g/L), and across age groups of 2-6 years (1971.5 to 1499 mu g/L), 7-12 years (1688.5 to 1159.8 mu g/L), and 13-18 years (1496.5 to 1107 mu g/L). Serum ferritin decreases were also noted for all deferasirox dose groups but only significant in patients with doses >= 30 mg/kg/d (n = 120, -579.6 median reduction, P < 0.001). Only 9 (2%) patients had adverse events suspected to be related to deferasirox. Serum creatinine slightly increased but remained within the normal range. Conclusions Deferasirox has long-term efficacy and safety in children with TDT and SCA, although higher doses (>= 30 mg/kg/d) may be required to achieve iron balance. C1 [Antmen, Bulent] Acibadem Hosp, Adana, Turkey. [Karakas, Zeynep] Istanbul Univ, Med Fac, Istanbul, Turkey. [Yesilipek, Mehmet Akif; Kupesiz, Osman Alphan] Akdeniz Univ, Med Fac, Antalya, Turkey. [Sasmaz, Ilgen] Cukurova Univ, Med Fac, Adana, Turkey. [Uygun, Vedat; Kurtoglu, Erdal] Antalya Training & Res Hosp, Antalya, Turkey. [Oktay, Gonul] Antakya State Hosp, Antakya, Turkey. [Aydogan, Gonul; Salcioglu, Zafer] Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Training & Res Hosp, Istanbul, Turkey. [Akin, Mehmet] Denizli State Hosp, Denizli, Turkey. [Vergin, Canan] Dr Behcet Uz Child Dis Surg Training & Res Hosp, Izmir, Turkey. [Kazanci, Elif Guler] Dortcelik Child Dis Hosp, Bursa, Turkey. [Unal, Selma] Mersin Univ, Med Fac, Mersin, Turkey. [Caliskan, Umran] Necmettin Erbakan Univ, Meram Med Fac, Konya, Turkey. [Aral, Yusuf Ziya] Adnan Menderes Univ, Med Fac, Aydin, Turkey. [Turkkan, Emine] Okmeydani Training & Res Hosp, Istanbul, Turkey. [Gunes, Adalet Meral] Uludag Univ, Med Fac, Bursa, Turkey. [Tunc, Bahattin] Hematol Oncol Training & Res Hosp, Ankara Child Hlth & Dis, Ankara, Turkey. [Gumruk, Fatma] Hacettepe Univ, Med Fac, Ankara, Turkey. [Ayhan, Aylin Canbolat; Timur, Cetin] Goztepe Training & Res Hosp, Istanbul, Turkey. [Soker, Murat] Dicle Univ, Med Fac, Diyarbakir, Turkey. [Koc, Ahmet; Oymak, Yesim] Harran Univ, Med Fac, Sanliurfa, Turkey. [Ertem, Mehmet] Ankara Univ, Fac Med, Ankara, Turkey. [Yildirmak, Yildiz] Sisli Etfal Training & Res Hosp, Istanbul, Turkey. [Irken, Gulersu] Dokuz Eylul Univ, Med Fac, Izmir, Turkey. [Apak, Hilmi] Istanbul Univ, Cerrahpasa Med Fac, Istanbul, Turkey. [Biner, Betul; Eren, Tugba Gurleyen] Trakya Univ, Med Fac, Edirne, Turkey. [Balci, Yasemin Isik] Pamukkale Univ, Med Fac, Denizli, Turkey. [Kocak, Ulker] Gazi Univ, Med Fac, Ankara, Turkey. [Karasu, Gulsun] Istanbul Zeynep Kamil Women & Childrens Dis Raini, Istanbul, Turkey. [Akkaynak, Diyar] Novartis Saglik Gida & Tarim Urunleri San & Tic A, Istanbul, Turkey. [Patiroglu, Turkan] Erciyes Univ, Med Fac, Kayseri, Turkey.