A Case of Secondary Hemosiderosis and Hepatic Fibrosis in a Pateint with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

ABSTRACT

Chronic iron overload is associated with life-threatening complications, such as cardiomyopathy, liver cirrhosis, diabetes, hypothyroidism, hypoparathyroidism and hypogonadism. We experienced a case of secondary hemosiderosis with hepatic fibrosis in a 8-year-old boy who had been transfused 56 pints of packed red blood cells for a supportive therapy of acute myelogenous leukemia for a 27-month period. Intramuscular injection of Desferroxamine (40mg/kg/ day) was done for 9 months, however, there was no sign of improvement in hepatic size, consistency, and in liver biopsy findings. Except for mild thrmobocytopenia which seems to be the result of hypersplenism, the boy remained in remission for 3 2/3 years. We think, the prompt use of Desferroxamine therapy may be needed to avoid iron overload, if patients recieved multiple transfusions and high serum ferritin level.