Comparison of the 3 leading iron-chelating drugs in the management of thalassemia
| Compound . | DFO . | DFP . | DFX . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Molecular weight, Da | 657 | 139 | 373 |
| Chelating properties | Hexadentate | Bidentate | Tridentate |
| Recommended dose | 30-60 mg/kg | 75-100 mg/kg | 20-40 mg/kg per day |
| Delivery | Subcutaneous or intravenous 8-12 h, 5-7 d/wk | Oral 3 times daily | Oral once daily |
| Half-life | 8-10 min | 1.5-4 h | 12-18 h |
| Excretion | 40%-60% fecal | 90% urinary | 90% fecal |
| Adverse effects | Ocular, auditory toxicity, growth retardation, local reactions, allergy | Gastrointestinal upset, arthralgia, neutropenia, agranulocytosis | Gastrointestinal upset, rash, ocular, auditory toxicity, reversible increases in creatinine, hepatitis |
| Compound . | DFO . | DFP . | DFX . |
|---|---|---|---|
| Molecular weight, Da | 657 | 139 | 373 |
| Chelating properties | Hexadentate | Bidentate | Tridentate |
| Recommended dose | 30-60 mg/kg | 75-100 mg/kg | 20-40 mg/kg per day |
| Delivery | Subcutaneous or intravenous 8-12 h, 5-7 d/wk | Oral 3 times daily | Oral once daily |
| Half-life | 8-10 min | 1.5-4 h | 12-18 h |
| Excretion | 40%-60% fecal | 90% urinary | 90% fecal |
| Adverse effects | Ocular, auditory toxicity, growth retardation, local reactions, allergy | Gastrointestinal upset, arthralgia, neutropenia, agranulocytosis | Gastrointestinal upset, rash, ocular, auditory toxicity, reversible increases in creatinine, hepatitis |