Renal Function Among Thalassemia Patients Treated by a Oral Chelator Deferasirox

Renal Function Among Thalassemia Patients Treated by a Oral Chelator Deferasirox

Thalassemia Major patients developed Iron Overload due to blood transfusions and intestinal iron absorption. Renal function caused by Iron overload was studied in a previous study and shows principally tubular disfunction. In this previous study the Iron chelator used was Deferrioxamine. In the last five years an oral Iron chelator was introduced and approved by the FDA, Deferasirox, (Novartis, Switzerland and USA). The purpose of this study is to assess the renal function in Thalassemia Major patients treated with this new oral iron chelator and compare the results with our previous study.

Patients with Thalassemia Major. The laboratory tests that will be studied are: Urine dip stick, Urea, Creatinine, Na, K, Uric Acid, Calcium, Phosphorus in serum and urine, and N acetyl-b-D-glucosaminidase in Urine.Blood gases will be also taken in serum samples.

The overall iron accumulation will also be calculated based in the amount of Packed Cells Units transfused. The total iron burden will also assessed by measurement of Transferrin saturation and Serum Ferritin.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with Thalassemia Major or Intermedia treated by Iron chelators or by blood transfusions without treatment with iron chelators

Exclusion criteria:

None relevant