Effect of deferasirox on iron absorption in a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study in a human model of acute supratherapeutic iron ingestion.

Author(s): Griffith EA, Fallgatter KC, Tantama SS, Tanen DA, Matteucci MJ

Affiliation(s): Department of Emergency Medicine, Naval Medical Center San Diego, CA 92134-1110, USA. erinagriffith@yahoo.com

Publication date & source: 2011-07, Ann Emerg Med., 58(1):69-73. Epub 2011 Feb 2.

Publication type: Randomized Controlled Trial

STUDY OBJECTIVE: In 2005, the Food and Drug Administration approved deferasirox as an oral iron chelating agent for chronic iron overload. To determine usefulness in management of acute iron ingestion, we study the effect of orally administered deferasirox in healthy human adults. METHODS: A double-blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized, crossover study of 8 healthy human volunteers was conducted. Subjects ingested 5 mg/kg of elemental iron in the form of ferrous sulfate. One hour after iron ingestion, subjects were randomized to receive 20 mg/kg of deferasirox or placebo. Serial iron levels were then obtained. A 2-week washout was used between study arms. The paired t test was used to compare area under time-concentration curves from baseline to both 12- and 24-hour iron levels between groups. RESULTS: Baseline serum iron levels were similar in the 2 groups. Deferasirox significantly reduced serum iron area under concentration-time curves compared with placebo during both 1 to 12 hours and 1 to 24 hours (12 hour=577 mumol-hour/L and 392 mumol-hour/L, 95% confidence interval for the difference 15.8 to 353.0 mumol-hour/L; 24 hour=808 mumol-hour/L and 598 mumol-hour/L, 95% confidence interval for difference 54.4 to 366.7 mumol-hour/L). CONCLUSION: Orally administered deferasirox significantly reduced serum iron levels when administered 1 hour after iron ingestion during the 12- and 24-hour periods after acute ingestion of 5 mg/kg of elemental iron in healthy human volunteers. Further study is required to determine optimal dosing, but deferasirox may be an important addition to current therapy for acute iron poisoning. Copyright (c) 2011 American College of Emergency Physicians. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.