The challenges of adherence and persistence with iron chelation therapy

Due to advances in medical sciences, many chronic diseases that formerly resulted in early death can now be effectively managed with long-term treatment regimens. Patients with potentially fatal anemias, for example, can be treated with ongoing blood transfusions and iron chelation therapy. Ensuring...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of hematology 2011-11, Vol.94 (5), p.453-460
Main Authors: Porter, John B., Evangeli, Michael, El-Beshlawy, Amal
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Administration, Oral
Adolescent
Anemia, Sickle Cell - drug therapy
Anemia, Sickle Cell - psychology
Benzoates - administration & dosage
beta-Thalassemia - drug therapy
beta-Thalassemia - psychology
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Deferoxamine - administration & dosage
Dosage Forms
Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases
Hematology
Humans
Infusions, Intravenous
Iron Chelating Agents - administration & dosage
Iron Overload - drug therapy
Iron Overload - psychology
Medical sciences
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Oncology
Patient Care Team
Patient Compliance
Pyridones - administration & dosage
Review Article
Time Factors
Triazoles - administration & dosage
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Summary:Due to advances in medical sciences, many chronic diseases that formerly resulted in early death can now be effectively managed with long-term treatment regimens. Patients with potentially fatal anemias, for example, can be treated with ongoing blood transfusions and iron chelation therapy. Ensuring adherence and persistence is challenging, as the benefits of therapy are not perceived immediately. Poor adherence severely compromises the effectiveness of treatment and, therefore, improving compliance in terms of quality of life and health economics is critical. Although adherence to chelation therapy is generally poor, the availability of oral iron chelators may help to improve patient compliance. For chronic conditions such as thalassemia major, even when oral chelation therapy is available, support by an integrated team including a clinical psychologist and nurse specialist working with the treatment center is recommended to achieve optimal results.
ISSN:0925-5710
1865-3774
DOI:10.1007/s12185-011-0927-3