A 1-year randomized trial of deferasirox alone versus deferasirox and deferoxamine combination for the treatment of iron overload in thalassemia major

Aim: Iron chelators are extensively used to reduce iron overload. Our purpose was to compare effects of deferasirox versus deferasirox and deferoxamine in patients with thalassemia major. Aim: Iron chelators are extensively used to reduce iron overload. Our purpose was to compare effects of deferasirox versus deferasirox and deferoxamine in patients with thalassemia major. Results: Fifty-five patients completed the 1 year of treatment. Mean age was 24.5 years with an excess of females. Combined therapy caused a significant increase in myocardial T2* from 23.1 +/- 7.5 ms at baseline to 27.1 +/- 7.0 ms at 12 months (P < 0.05). This difference was statistically significant between 2 groups at 12 months (P = 0.01). Combined therapy and monotherapy had no significant effect on liver T2*. At 12 months, serum ferritin levels were reduced in two groups; however, the difference was significant (737 +/- 459 mu g/ml vs 1085 +/- 919 mu g/ml, P < 0.01). Conclusion: Our study indicates that combined treatment with deferasirox and deferoxmaine is more effective than deferasirox for reduction of iron over load in patients with thalassemia major.