Inflammation and oxidant-stress in β-thalassemia patients treated with iron chelators deferasirox (ICL670) or deferoxamine: an ancillary study of the Novartis CICL670A0107 trial

Abstract

Background We assessed whether oxidant-stress and inflammation in β-thalassemia could be controlled by the novel oral iron chelator deferasirox as effectively as by deferoxamine.Design and Methods Forty-nine subjects were enrolled from seven sites and studied at baseline, and after 1, 6, and 12 months of therapy. Malondialdehyde, protein carbonyls, vitamins E and C, total non-transferrin bound iron, transferrin saturation, C-reactive protein, cytokines, serum ferritin concentration and liver iron concentration were measured.Results Liver iron concentration and ferritin declined significantly in both treatment groups during the study. This paralleled a significant decline in the oxidative-stress marker malondialdehyde (deferasirox −22%/year, deferoxamine −28%/year, average decline p=0.006). The rates of decline did not differ between treatment groups. Malondialdehyde was higher in both treatment groups than in a group of 30 non-thalassemic controls (p