Highlights
Drug Approval
Deferasirox (Exjade) has been approved for treatment of iron overload caused by frequent blood transfusions. The drug is approved for adults and children age 2 years and older. Deferasirox will provide a much easier option for patients who require iron chelation therapy. This therapy is currently given through an infusion pump. With deferasirox, patients mix the pills in liquid and drink the medicine.
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Anemia in Children
- The reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr) test may be better than the standard hemoglobin test for detecting iron deficiency in infants before they become anemic. In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the CHr test correctly identified 83% of iron-deficient infants, while the standard test identified only 26% of them. Reticulocytes are immature red blood cells. Hemoglobin is the part of a red blood cell that carries oxygen.
- Babies who are bottle-fed milk for more than 1 year may not get enough iron in their diet. A study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found low levels of iron in 12% of children who used a bottle for 1 to 3 years. Only 4% of babies bottle-fed for less than 1 year were iron-deficient. Experts recommend that toddlers age 12 months and older use a cup, not a bottle, and drink no more than 2 cups of milk a day.
Heart Failure and Anemia
Anemia may be a marker for heart failure, suggest several recent studies. The relationship between anemia and heart failure is still unclear, but the combination is dangerous. Experts estimate that 25 – 60% of heart failure patients have anemia, and that the combination of these conditions can increase the risk of hospitalization or death by 30 – 60%.
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