The role of iron chelation therapy in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) remains controversial. Averting cardiac dysfunction in low-grade MDS patients who have sufficient longevity to experience deleterious cardiac effects of iron overload has been the major argument in favor of iron chelation. Although there is significant evidence showing the adverse impact of transfusion dependency on survival i...

BACKGROUND In beta-thalassemia, profound anemia and severe hemosiderosis cause functional and physiological abnormalities in various organ systems. In recent years, there have been few published studies mainly in adult demonstrating renal involvement in beta-thalassemia. This prospective study was aimed to investigate renal involvement in pediatric patients with transfusion dependent beta-thala...

Between 2002 and 2008, a number of consensus statements and guidelines were developed by various groups around the world to educate healthcare professionals on the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), including the management of transfusional iron overload with iron chelation therapy. Guidelines have been developed by The Italian Society of Hematology, The UK MDS Guidelines Group, The ...

BACKGROUND Chelation therapy has emerged as a popular treatment modality to remove heavy metals that are thought to cause autism. We report a fatality that occurred as a consequence of chelation therapy for autism when the incorrect form of EDTA was administered. CASE REPORT A five-year-old autistic male was being chelated in a physician's office. While receiving his third treatment he went i...

Background Regular transfusion in thalassemia major patients increases life expectancy and improves quality of life, but results in iron overload, which had toxic effects to organs including endocrine glands. The introduction of iron chelation therapy has reduced its toxicity, but complications may still occur. In Indonesia, most of our patients did not receive optimal iron chelation therapy, w...

The role of iron chelation therapy in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) remains controversial. Averting cardiac dysfunction in low-grade MDS patients who have sufficient longevity to experience deleterious cardiac effects of iron overload has been the major argument in favor of iron chelation. Although there is significant evidence showing the adverse impact of transfusion dependency on survival i...

BACKGROUND Lead, a serious threat for raptors, can hamper the success of their conservation. This study reports on experience with accidental lead intoxication and responses to chelation therapy in captive Cinereous (Aegypius monachus) and Egyptian (Neophron percnopterus) Vultures. RESULTS Soil contamination by lead-based paint sanded off the steel aviary resulted in poisoning of eight Cinere...

Transfusional iron overload in patients with chronic anemias can result in multiple organ failure. Experience in the management of iron overload in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes is limited, as many do not receive chelation therapy due to short-life expectancy and the difficulties associated with the administration of the current reference standard chelator, deferoxamine. There have, h...

Dear Editor-in-Chief, We shortly report our results of combined iron chelation therapy with deferiprone (DFP) and desferrioxamine (DFX) versus chelation therapy with DFP alone, in iron overloaded β-thalassemia patients. Desferrioxamine has been a life saving iron chelator for thousands of patients in the last 40 years. However, less than 10% of the patients requiring iron chelation therapy worl...