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
These sources were used to prepare and review this medicine page.
Prepared and reviewed by the iatroX editorial team.