Reduction of Serum Ferritin after Deferasirox Treatment in Thalassemic Children

Background:
Thalassemia is a prevalent genetic disorder in South Asia, including
Bangladesh, where transfusion-dependent patients are at risk of iron
overload. Deferasirox, an oral iron chelator, is widely used to manage
iron burden.

Objective:
This study evaluates the efficacy of deferasirox in thalassemic children.

Methods:
This pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study was conducted at the
Bangladesh Shishu (Children) Hospital and Institute, Dhaka, involving
50 transfusion-dependent thalassemic children aged 2–18 years. Serum
ferritin was measured before and after six months of deferasirox therapy.
Statistical analysis included paired t-tests, with p-values <0.05
considered significant.

Results:
The mean serum ferritin level decreased significantly from 2462±1169
ng/mL to 1874±1002 ng/mL (p<0.001), with a mean reduction of
588±367 ng/mL and a percentage reduction of 24.60±13.00%.

Conclusion:
Deferasirox effectively reduces serum ferritin levels in
transfusion-dependent thalassemic children. These findings contribute
to evidence-based strategies for managing iron overload in
resource-limited settings.
institutions.