Treatment
Thalidomide
Thalidomide was produced by Suzhou Changzheng-Xinkai Pharmaceutical Co.
Ltd (China). Oral dose was started at 2.5 mg·kg-1·d-1. And dose was
adjusted based on the response to thalidomide and the occurrence of
adverse effects at third month visit. The maximum dose was
4.0mg·kg-1·d-1 under the guidance from the off-label medicine committee.
Transfusion and iron chelation
Transfusion was recommended to maintain Hb higher than 90.0 g·L-1 during
treatment. If Hb level decresed to lower than 90.0g·L-1, regular volume
of transfusion should be enforced. Hb level below 80.0g·L-1 was not
allowed. Iron chelation therapy was continued if serum ferritin was
above 1000 ng/mL during treatment. One or two of deferiprone,
deferoxamine and deferasirox were recommended iron chelating agent
according to the SF level.