Hydroxurea ?

[avirel]

Is any body on Hydrexurea to cure beta Thal major .Has any body benefited from it as I am giving my 7 year old son Hydrea 500(Sqibb) since last 3 months but I am not sure that it is benefitial or not.Has it got any side effect too? Please help

[Narendra]

Hydroxyurea is used by thal(intermedia) and it helpful in increasing the Hemoglobin level in them (where they are capable of making somewhat of their own blood).

Are you giving your son regular transfusion along with Hydroxyurea? I hope you are maintaining his hemoglobin at a proper level.

[avirel]

Thanks Narendra for your advice.I was maintaing hb levels at 9 from last 7 years.But after starting hydrea as per advice of Doctor the hb level comes down to 6.
Should I maintain previous level as I am not sure if these medicine will work.

[Narendra]

I think thal(intermedia) have seen some benifit with Hydroxy. Do you know if your son is Beta Thal zero or Beta Thal Plus? I would caution you that with a low Hemoglobin level, his body might undergo stress and the bone marrow works hard to produce more red blood cells and bone expansion might occur. At his age, I think he would need a hemoglobin level which is good for his growth. I am not a doctor - so it is very difficult to say - What is good and what is bad, but if your son is a thal(intermedia), there might be benifits of hydroxy and he might NOT need transfusion, but there needs to be careful observation. Low Hemoglobin also leads to less energy and he will feel more tired. I am sorry, but I can't answer a straight yes or no to your question. I am including a link for your reference on Hydroxy used in a trail in thal(major) and thal(intermedia)

From:-
Wiley InterScience :: Session Cookies

Decreased transfusion needs associated with hydroxyurea therapy in Algerian patients with thalassemia major or intermedia

ABSTRACT


BACKGROUND: Studies of evolution of transfusion requirements in thalassemic patients treated with hydroxyurea have produced somewhat conflicting results, especially in patients with thalassemia major. Our aims were to determine the proportion of good responders to hydroxyurea in a population of transfusion-dependent thalassemic patients and to identify the factors associated with a decrease of transfusion needs.


STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Hydroxyurea treatment was initiated in 9 patients with thalassemia intermedia (TI) and 45 with thalassemia major (TM). Patients received transfusions when their hemoglobin (Hb) levels dropped below 6 g per dL. A decrease in annual transfusion requirements greater than 70 percent defined a good response, between 40 and 70 percent a partial response, and smaller than 40 percent no response.


RESULTS: The response was good in 8 (90%) patients with TI and 20 (44.5%) with TM, partial in 9 (20%) patients with TM, and absent in 1 (10%) with TI and 16 (35.5%) with TM. In TM patients, transfusion needs decreased by 56 percent over the first year of hydroxyurea treatment. By univariate analysis, a better response to hydroxyurea was associated with older age at the first transfusion (p = 0.02), higher prehydroxyurea Hb (p = 0.0004), codon 6(–A) mutation (p = 0.002), TI (p = 0.03), and history of splenectomy (p = 0.05). Xmn1–/– was associated with a worse response (p = 0.0001). By multivariate analysis, a better response was associated with the Xmn1 polymorphism (p = 0.008).


CONCLUSION: Hydroxyurea may be an alternative to transfusions for TI patients as well as for TM patients in countries that have limited blood supplies.

[Didar]

Hello Every body,

Could any one can inform me is there any major or minor side effects of Hydrooxurea?

Best of luck! Take care.

Didar.