Abstract

 Background and Objectives

 Blood transfusion causes many complications in major β thalassemia patients. In this study, the heart and liver iron deposition stata measured by MRI T2* technique in patients that are being treated by two iron chelation drugs of “deferoxamine and deferasirox” are compared.

 Materials and Methods

 In an Experimental Study, 52 β-thalassemia patients treated with deferoxamine or deferasirox at least two years before the study were evaluated. In all patients, the liver and heart MRI T2* was taken and then the heart and liver iron deposition status was compared. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS software and statistical methods: Mann–Whitney U test and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

 Results

 23 female and 29 male were evaluated. The mean age in deferoxamine and deferasirox group were 17.7 (± 7.1) and 16.5 (± 7.3) years, respectively (p= 0.593). Mean of ferritin level in deferoxamine group was 2857.57 (± 2037.63) and in deferasirox group was 2067.42 (± 1789.18) ng/mL (p= 0.207). Mean of received packed cell was 150-180 cc/kg. The mean of liver MRI T2* relaxation time in deferoxamine group was 3.29 (± 2.07) msec and in deferasirox group was 3.37 (± 10.39) msec (p= 0.359). The mean of cardiac MRI T2* relaxation time in deferoxamine and deferasirox groups were 25.67 (± 10.73) and 29.1 (± 10.27) msec, respectively (p= 0.470).

 Conclusions

 Deferasirox is relatively more effective than deferoxamine in reducing iron content of the liver and heart. Moreover, deferasirox is more effective in reducing cardiac iron content relative to liver iron content.