Factors influencing effectiveness of deferiprone in a thalassaemia major clinical setting

The effectiveness of deferiprone (L1) and the influence of other factors we re determined in a clinical setting. Patients of Southern Italian origin, a ffected by beta -thalassaemia major (n = 13: 7 M, 6 F), aged 10-28 years (m edian 18 years), were treated with L1 within a 'Controlled Programme' of th e Italian Ministry of Health, Desferrioxamine could not be administered in these patients because of anaphylactic reactions or other serious side effe cts, L1 was considered to be effective when the liver iron concentration wa s reduced or stable as measured by biomagnetic liver susceptometry, L1 prov ed to be effective in 3 out the 9 evaluable patients, A high pre-L1 iron ov erload was the main clinical factor influencing L1 effectiveness.