Background: One of the most common endocrine problems in major beta-thalassemia is hypothyroidism (HT). The aim of this study was to evaluate thyroid function status in major beta-thalassemia patients older than 10 years old. Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out on thalassemia major patients registered on Thalassemia Center of Amirkola Children Hospital in Babol. A questionnaire ...

Cases of kidney injury associated with the use of deferasirox chelation therapy during the course of treatment for iron overload have been reported infrequently. We present the case of a patient treated with deferasirox who had biopsy-proven tubular injury in the setting of clinical Fanconi syndrome. The patient required hospitalization for metabolic acidosis, electrolyte abnormalities, and ass...

PURPOSE This research was undertaken to determine the advantages, complications, costs, and efficacy of erythrocytapheresis in young pediatric patients who receive chronic erythrocyte transfusion therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively analyzed data for 10 children who received erythrocytapheresis for an average of 16 months. Erythrocytapheresis was compared to simple transfusion the...

Chelation therapy, as discussed in this article, is a series of intravenous infusions containing disodium EDTA and various other substances. It is sometimes done by swallowing EDTA or other agents in pill form. Proponents claim that EDTA chelation therapy is effective against atherosclerosis and many other serious health problems. Its use is widespread because patients have been led to believe ...

The emergence of new chelators is likely to have a major impact on the treatment of thalassemia major, sickle cell disease and other hematologic disorders for which regular red cell transfusions are required either to correct severe anemia or to prevent major complications of the underlying disease. In comparison with deferoxamine, which requires prolonged parenteral infusion to achieve negativ...

This paper describes a 71-year-old man with myelodysplasia who required multiple transfusions and subsequent deferoxamine chelation therapy and who then developed indolent cutaneous and probable pulmonary infection with Rhizopus species. The patient did not have rapidly progressive infection as has been described in almost all previously reported deferoxamine-treated patients with zygomycosis. ...

Thalassemia intermedia is a genetically diverse group of diseases that is the result of an imbalance in the production of the alpha and beta chains with ensuing chronic hemolysis, ineffective erythropoiesis, and iron overload. Resulting complications include bone changes, hypercoagulability, and end-organ damage due to iron overload. This decade has witnessed major breakthroughs in the manageme...

Thalassemia intermedia is a genetically diverse group of diseases that is the result of an imbalance in the production of the alpha and beta chains with ensuing chronic hemolysis, ineffective erythropoiesis, and iron overload. Resulting complications include bone changes, hypercoagulability, and endorgan damage due to iron overload. This decade has witnessed major breakthroughs in the managemen...