Urinary iron excretion for evaluating iron chelation efficacy in children with thalassemia major

In patients with thalassemia major, examination routinely used for the evaluation of iron load in Indonesia is serum ferritin, but it is strongly influenced by other factors such as infections, inflammation and vitamin C levels. Evaluation of urinary iron excretion is an important and easy method to indicate iron chelation efficacy. To determine the efficacy of iron chelation therapy by urinary iron examination and to evaluate its correlation with the time of transfusion, serum ferritin level, transferrin saturation and T2* MRI. Prospective cohort study was conducted in children with thalassemia major aged 7–