Clinical Trials Logo

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

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Completed NCT00199628 - Research Network for Neonatal Diseases Induced by Tissular Fetomaternal Alloimmunization
Completed NCT03654794 - Study of the Cellular Diffusion of Tacrolimus Across the Membrane of Mononuclear Cells
Terminated NCT00122980 - Stroke With Transfusions Changing to Hydroxyurea Phase 3
Completed NCT00202436 - Haemochromatosis:Phlebotomy Versus Erythrocytapheresis Therapy Phase 3
Withdrawn NCT01892644 - Treatment of Iron Overload With Deferasirox (Exjade) in Hereditary Hemochromatosis and Myelodysplastic Syndrome Phase 2
Completed NCT00349453 - Study Using Deferiprone Alone or in Combination With Desferrioxamine in Iron Overloaded Transfusion-dependent Patients Phase 2
Recruiting NCT03743272 - Repeatability and Reproducibility of Multiparametric MRI
Recruiting NCT06137079 - "Iron Overload and Endocrinological Diseases"
Completed NCT00712738 - Oral Nifedipine to Treat Iron Overload Phase 1
Completed NCT00001455 - Iron Overload in African Americans N/A
Completed NCT00006312 - Hemochromatosis--Genetic Prevalence and Penetrance N/A
Completed NCT00005559 - Statistical Basis for Hemochromatosis Screening N/A
Recruiting NCT00509652 - Erythrocyte Apheresis Versus Phlebotomy in Hemochromatosis N/A
Completed NCT00350662 - Study With Deferiprone and/or Desferrioxamine in Iron Overloaded Patients Phase 3
Completed NCT00005541 - Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening Study (HEIRS) N/A
Completed NCT00000595 - Evaluation of Subcutaneous Desferrioxamine as Treatment for Transfusional Hemochromatosis Phase 2
Recruiting NCT04631718 - MRI QSM Imaging for Iron Overload
Active, not recruiting NCT00007150 - Treatment of Hemochromatosis Phase 2
Completed NCT00587535 - Evaluation of a New MR Pulse Sequence to Quantify Liver Iron Concentration N/A
Enrolling by invitation NCT02025543 - Confounder-Corrected Quantitative MRI Biomarker of Hepatic Iron Content