Calcium Channel Blockers in Conjunction with Standard Iron-Chelating Agents for β-Thalassemia Major: Systematic Literature Search

Thalassemia is a genetic mutation of the α- or β-globin chains that lead to defective erythropoiesis. This study aimed to collect evidences from all published studies that investigated the clinical effectiveness of calcium channel blockers (CCBs) in conjunction with chelation therapy for reducing iron overload in patients with thalassemia. A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Virtual Health Library. Original studies reporting the use of CCBs in patients with thalassemia were included for meta-analysis. A total of five randomized studies including 210 patients were included with a follow-up period of 3–12 months. There was no significant difference between amlodipine and control groups in increasing the heart T2* magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) [mean difference (MD) 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = –1.9 (–4.4 to 0.5), p = 0.119] or reducing the liver iron concentration [MD 95% CI = −0.046 (–0.325 to 0.2), p = 0.746]. Although there were no serious adverse events reported in the included trials, further studies are recommended to strengthen our findings.