Drug updated on 4/10/2024
| Dosage Form | Tablet (oral; 500 mg, 1000 mg) |
| Drug Class | Iron chelators |
| Ongoing and Completed Studies | ClinicalTrials.gov |
Indication
- For the treatment of transfusional iron overload in adult and pediatric patients 8 years of age and older with thalassemia syndromes, sickle cell disease or other anemias.
Summary
- Deferiprone (Ferriprox) is recommended for managing transfusional iron overload in adult and pediatric patients 8 years of age and older with thalassemia syndromes, sickle cell disease, or other anemias.
- Three studies were analyzed to collect data on deferiprone’s safety, effectiveness, and specific considerations based on populations and subgroups.
- The compliance rate for deferiprone was observed to be relatively high at 87.2%-92.2%, indicating a beneficial profile in terms of effectiveness by improving treatment adherence. This indirectly enhances safety as higher compliance is associated with lower serum ferritin levels, decreased risk of complications such as liver/cardiac diseases, reduced endocrinologic morbidity, and better health-related quality of life.
- A comparison between deferiprone (DFP) and deferasirox (DFX) revealed no significant difference in their effectiveness in managing iron overload in pediatric patients with hemoglobin disorders. Both drugs managed iron overload similarly, according to myocardial iron concentration/mean serum ferritin levels at 6 & 12 months follow-up periods.
- Studies highlight the high rate of compliance observed with deferiprone, suggesting it might be a preferable option among pediatric patients or those suffering from thalassemia due to its impact on disease management outcomes through improved treatment adherence rates.
- It is noted that various interventions are necessary to enhance adherence to chelation therapy. These include psychological/educational interventions along with medication adjustments/multi-component strategies tailored towards individual patient needs such as age-appropriate treatments for children and adults having differing disease burdens or psychosocial contexts.
Product Monograph / Prescribing Information
| Document Title | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Ferriprox (deferiprone) Prescribing Information. | 2021 | Chiesi USA, Inc., Cary, NC |
Systematic Reviews / Meta-Analyses
| Document Title | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| The impact of chelation compliance in health outcome and health related quality of life in thalassaemia patients: A systematic review. | 2024 | Health and Quality of Life Outcomes |
| No difference in myocardial iron concentration and serum ferritin with deferasirox and deferiprone in pediatric patients with hemoglobinopathies: A systematic review and meta-analysis. | 2023 | Transfusion Clinique et Biologique |
| Interventions for improving adherence to iron chelation therapy in people with sickle cell disease or thalassaemia. | 2023 | The Cochrane Database of Systematic |
Clinical Practice Guidelines
| Document Title | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Guidelines for the monitoring and management of iron overload in patients with haemoglobinopathies and rare anaemias. | 2023 | British Journal of Haematology |
| 2021 Thalassaemia International Federation Guidelines for the Management of Transfusion-dependent Thalassemia. | 2021 | Hemasphere |
| Guidelines for the management of transfusion dependent thalassaemia. | 2021 | Thalassaemia International Federation |