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Mixed results on early human testing of iron chelation after brain bleed

Source: American Heart Association

Study Highlight:

  • Removing iron and toxins from the body after a brain bleed had little effect on intracerebral hemorrhage stroke recovery at three months but might have potential benefits at six months.

Embargoed until 11:55 a.m. Hawaii Time/4:55 p.m. Eastern Time, Friday, Feb. 8, 2019

(NewMediaWire) - February 08, 2019 - HONOLULU - A drug that removes excess iron and toxins from the body after a brain bleed did not show significant improvement in recovery or neurological function at three months after intracerebral hemorrhage (stroke), but showed some benefits at six months, according to late breaking science presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2019, a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science and treatment of cerebrovascular disease.

The breakdown of blood after a brain hemorrhage releases toxic byproducts including iron, which damages the surrounding brain tissue. In animal research, deferoxamine – a drug which removes iron from the body (a process known as iron chelation) – improves recovery and neurological function.

The Intracerebral Hemorrhage Deferoxamine (iDEF) Trial is a multicenter double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted at 42 U.S. and Canadian centers.  Researchers examined the safety of deferoxamine and whether the drug holds sufficient promise to improve outcome after brain hemorrhage before conducting a large trial to determine its treatment effectiveness. The study enrolled 291 patients (average age 60, 38 percent women) within 24 hours of a brain bleed.

Researchers noted:

  • High doses of deferoxamine (62 milligram per kilogram of body weight per day) were toxic to the lungs and were associated with increased incidence of a condition called adult respiratory distress syndrome which leads to a buildup of fluids in the lungs and decreased oxygen levels in the blood, but intermediate doses (32 milligram per kilogram of body weight per day) were safe and well tolerated.

  • The primary result showed that the use of intermediate doses of deferoxamine for three days after brain hemorrhage did not sufficiently improve recovery and neurological function at three months, but patients who received the drug seemed to have better outcomes after six months from the onset of brain hemorrhage in secondary analyses.

“We saw improvement in recovery between three to six months in both the deferoxamine and placebo treatment groups which suggests that recovery after brain hemorrhage takes a long time, and that it may be better for future studies to consider examining the effects of potential treatments at six months or perhaps later to fully determine the full effects of these treatments,” said Magdy Selim, M.D., Ph.D, professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School and chief of the Division of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Disease at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. “We are reviewing our data carefully to determine if we should conduct a large trial to examine the effectiveness of deferoxamine in improving outcomes at six months after a brain hemorrhage.”

Co-authors and disclosures are listed on the abstract. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke funded the study.

Note: Scientific presentation is 12:05 p.m. Hawaii Time/5:05 p.m. Eastern Time, Friday, Feb. 8, 2019.

Additional Resources:

Statements and conclusions of study authors that are presented at American Heart Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect association policy or position. The association makes no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at https://www.heart.org/en/about-us/aha-financial-information.

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About the American Stroke Association

The American Stroke Association is devoted to saving people from stroke — the No. 2 cause of death in the world and a leading cause of serious disability. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat stroke. The Dallas-based association officially launched in 1998 as a division of the American Heart Association. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-888-4STROKE or visit StrokeAssociation.org. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Feb. 6-8, 2019: AHA News Media Office at the

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