Lactose intolerance is not the cause of gastrointestinal adverse effects in beta thalassemia patients treated with deferasirox

摘要

Survival of transfusion dependent beta thalassemia patients has improved significantly over the past few decades as better treatment became available. However, systemic iron overload continues to be the main contributor to severe morbidity and early mortality, and consequently, iron chelation remains an essential treatment in these patients [1]. Deferasirox (Exjade?, DFX), taken orally once daily is the most common iron chelator in use in many countries worldwide [1,2]. However, significant gastrointestinal (GI) adverse effects (AEs), including abdominal discomfort, flatulence, pain, vomiting, and diarrhea, resulting from unknown etiology, are associated with DFX treatment, consequently resulting in low compliance and treatment discontinuation [1,2].