The Effect of Desferrioxamine on Iron Metabolism in Man. II

Abstract

The influence of an increased haemolysis on the urinary iron excretion after the administration of desferrioxamine (DF) was studied in a series of experiments. An increased haemolysis was induced by transfusing stored red cells, by injecting nicotinic acid or by infusing antibody‐coated red cells. The results indicate that under normal conditions, the urinary iron excreted with DF does not originate from destroyed red cells. Iron absorbed from the intestines is no probable source of the iron excreted in the urine with DF, as judged from a study in which the iron excretion was compared during periods with iron‐rich and iron‐free diets. The results of our present and previous studies indicate that stored iron is the probable main source of the iron excreted with DF in the urine.