Antianemic and potential anti-inflammatory activity of desferrioxamine: possible usefulness in rheumatoid arthritis

In order to study the role of excessive synovial iron sequestration in the production of anemia in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the antianemic efficacy and anti-inflammatory effect of desferrioxamine administered in a short-term treatment (14 days), were evaluated in 10 patients suffering from classic or definite RA and hyposideremic anemia. Treatment with desferrioxamine showed an elevated urinary iron excretion, a significant increase of serum iron, UIBC and hemoglobin, and a marked progressive decrease of serum ferritin. A moderate improvement of the pain intensity, morning stiffness and Ritchie's index was also observed. The results obtained suggest that excessive reticuloendothelial iron deposits occur in RA and that the iron uptake can be an important factor in the production of anemia. Desferrioxamine seems to be useful in the treatment of patients suffering from RA and anemia, in order to release iron from synovial tissue, reduce the inflammatory process and improve anemia, changing an anemia which is typically resistant to the martial therapy into an iron-sensitive anemia.