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Clinical Trial Summary

Hereditary Hemochromatosis (HH) is a genetic disorder of iron metabolism, resulting in excessive iron overload causing damage of different important organs like heart, liver, pancreas and joints. Complications and symptoms can regress by intensive treatment reducing the iron overload stores.Different genes have been identified playing a role in the pathophysiology of iron overload. A clinically important HFE gene mutation is the C282Y, located on chromosome 6. Phlebotomy is currently the standard therapy which consists of removal of 500 ml whole blood weekly, representing a loss of 250 mg iron. In naive patients between 20 to 100 phlebotomies are required to reduce the serum ferritine levels to 50 μg/L. Thereafter, a lifelong maintenance therapy of 3 to 6 phlebotomies yearly is needed.

For absorption, dietary iron ( 70%) is reduced by gastric acid form the ferric (Fe3+) to the ferrous form (Fe2+). Recently, in an observational open study, Hutchinson et al. found that HH patients treated with proton pump inhibitors (PPI) needed fewer phlebotomies, resulting in a drop of 2.5 (SEM 0.25) to 0.5 (SEM 0.25) liter per year.

Research question: The primary objective is to determine the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of PPI's compared to standard phlebotomy therapy in the prevention of iron overload in HH patients.

Multi-center trial in two hospitals in the South of Limburg (Atrium medical Center, Maastricht university medical center ) and hospital in Belgium (University Hospital Gasthuisberg). The study will be conducted in randomised double blind manner. The follow up will be one year.

Patients are randomized either for the group receiving a PPI or a placebo. Every 2 month the ferritin level is measured and decided if the patient need a phlebotomy (Ferritin >100 µg/L).


Clinical Trial Description

n/a


Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT01524757
Study type Interventional
Source Maastricht University Medical Center
Contact G Koek, dr
Phone +31-43-3875021
Email gh.koek@mumc.nl
Status Not yet recruiting
Phase N/A
Start date March 2012
Completion date August 2013

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