deferiprone: prescribing and clinical use
Focused clinical detail for use alongside current product information, local policy and patient-specific assessment.
deferiprone: clinical details
Prescribing considerations
- Initiation and ongoing prescribing should be supervised by a clinician experienced in thalassaemia.
- Assess combination chelation individually and monitor response and adverse effects closely.
- Evidence is limited in children aged 6–10 years and unavailable below 6 years.
- Use caution in end-stage renal disease, severe hepatic impairment and immunocompromised patients.
Contraindications and cautions
- Hypersensitivity to deferiprone or relevant excipients
- Recurrent neutropenia or previous agranulocytosis
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Concurrent medicines associated with neutropenia or agranulocytosis
Monitoring
- Check baseline ANC; do not initiate treatment in a neutropenic patient.
- Monitor ANC regularly and interrupt treatment with urgent ANC assessment if infection develops.
- Monitor iron burden, plasma zinc, and hepatic and renal function.
Clinical pharmacology
Deferiprone binds iron in a 3:1 molar ratio. It is rapidly absorbed, predominantly glucuronidated to an inactive metabolite, and eliminated mainly through the kidneys as unchanged medicine, metabolite and iron complex.
Formulation and product differences
- The selected film-coated tablet is scored and divisible into equal halves.
- The oral solution contains sunset yellow, which may cause allergic reactions.
deferiprone preparations and strengths
Oral solution
Route: Oral
Strengths: 100 mg/mL
Tablet
Route: Oral
Strengths: 500 mg, 1000 mg
deferiprone interactions
Check all prescribed, over-the-counter and complementary products with the specialist team.
Medicines associated with neutropenia or agranulocytosis
Concurrent use is contraindicated because of the risk of dangerously low neutrophil counts.
Aluminium-based antacids
Do not take them at the same time because deferiprone binds metallic cations.
Sources
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Record learning (opens in a new tab)Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.