Blood Transfusion Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Blood Transfusion, including details on blood donation, blood types, leukemia.

Recent acquisitions in the management of iron overload.

Franchini M

Servizio di Immunoematologia e Trasfusione, Azienda Ospedaliera di Verona, Piazzale L. Scuro, 10, 37134, Verona, Italy. mfranchini@mail.univr.it

Chronically transfused patients develop iron overload, which leads to organ damage and ultimately to death. The introduction of the iron-chelating agent desferrioxamine mesylate dramatically improved the life expectancy of these patients. However, the very demanding nature of this treatment (subcutaneous, continuous infusion via a battery-operated portable pump) has been the motivation for attempts to develop alternative forms of treatment that would facilitate the patients' compliance. In this review, we describe the most important advances in iron-chelation therapy.

Published 5 October 2005 in Ann Hematol, 84(10): 640-5.
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