F7 gene variants modulate protein levels in a large cohort of patients with factor VII deficiency. Results from a genotype-phenotype study.

Congenital factor VII (FVII) deficiency is a rare bleeding disorder caused by mutations in F7 gene with autosomal recessive inheritance. A clinical heterogeneity with poor correlation with FVII:C levels has been described. It was the objective of this study to identify genetic defects and to evaluate their relationships with phenotype in a large cohort of patients with FVII:C<50 %. One hundred twenty-three probands were genotyped for F7 mutations and three polymorphic variants and classified according to recently published clinical scores. Forty out of 123 patients (33 %) were symptomatic (43 bleedings). A severe bleeding tendency was observed only in patients with FVII:C<0.10 %. Epistaxis (11 %) and menorrhagia (32 % of females in fertile age) were the most frequent bleedings. Molecular analysis detected 48 mutations, 20 not reported in the F7 international databases. Most mutations (62 %) were missense, large deletions were 6.2 %. Compound heterozygotes/homozygotes for mutations presented lower FVII:C levels compared to the other classes (Chi2=43.709, p<0,001). The polymorphisms distribution was significantly different among the three F7 genotypic groups (Chi2=72.289, p<0,001). The presence of truncating mutations was associated with lowest FVII:C levels (Chi2=21.351, p=0.002). This study confirms the clinical and molecular variability of the disease and the type of symptoms. It shows a good correlation between the type of F7 mutation and/or polymorphisms and FVII:C levels, without a direct link between FVII:C and bleeding tendency. The results suggest that large deletions are underestimated and that they represent a common mechanism of F7 gene inactivation which should always be investigated in the diagnostic testing for FVII deficiency.

A Web Site to Improve Management of Patients with Inherited Bleeding Disorders in the Emergency Department: Results at 2 Years.

Treatment of patients with inherited bleeding disorders (PWIBD) in the emergency department (ED) is challenging. In 2010, a project was started involving all eight hemophilia centers (HC) and all 44 EDs of the Region of Emilia-Romagna (Italy) to improve emergency care for PWIBD. The project incorporates guidelines for emergency treatment, education for ED staff, and a dedicated Web site providing extensive information, proposing treatments, and sharing data with patients' electronic clinical records. A Web algorithm, accessible to PWIBD as well as ED and HC staff, suggests the first dose of concentrate for each type and severity of bleed or trauma. Following training courses in each ED, the network was activated. During 2012 and 2013, the site was visited 14,000 times, the EDs accessed the Web site 1,739 times, and used the algorithms 206 times. In two reference EDs, triage-assessment and triage-treatment times were reduced in 2013 and 2012 (27/20 and 110/71.5 minutes, respectively) and medical advice from the HC increased (54 vs. 24% cases). The main advantages of this system are better management of patients in ED (shorter triage-to-treatment times) and improved collaboration between HCs and EDs. The most critical point remaining is staff turnover in EDs, necessitating continual training.

Cancers in Patients with von Willebrand Disease: A Survey from the Italian Association of Haemophilia Centres.

Besides its essential role in hemostasis, there is growing evidence that von Willebrand factor (VWF) has an additional antitumor effect. To elucidate the clinical significance of this biological activity we conducted a retrospective study on cancers among Italian patients with von Willebrand disease (VWD) on behalf of the Italian Association of Haemophilia Centres (AICE). A questionnaire to collect demographic, clinical, and treatment data of VWD patients with cancer was sent to all the 54 Italian Haemophilia Treatment Centres (HTCs) members of AICE. Overall, 18 HTCs (33%) provided information on 92 VWD patients (61 alive and 31 deceased) with 106 cancers collected during the period 1981 to 2014. Of them, 19 (18%) were hematological cancers and 87 (82%) were solid cancers. A total of 61% of patients had type 1, 36% type 2 (12% type 2A, 14% type 2B, 9% type 2M, and 1% type 2N), and 3% type 3 VWD: this distribution was significantly different from that observed in the whole VWD population (79% type 1, 16% type 2 [8% type 2A, 4% type 2B, 2% type 2M, 2% type 2N], and 5% type 3; type 2 vs. non-type 2: p < 0.001). Overall, VWD patients with cancer underwent 52 invasive and 72 surgical procedures, were treated with VWF/factor VIII (FVIII) concentrates in 77 cases, with desmopressin (DDAVP) alone in 24 cases and with DDAVP and VWF/FVIII concentrates in 7 cases. Hemorrhagic complications were observed only rarely (2% of invasive procedures and radiotherapy and 6% of surgical interventions). The data collected by this survey document that a substantial number of cancers are recorded among VWD patients and that these patients are safely managed by HTC physicians through a multidisciplinary approach.

Cryptic 13q34 and 4q35.2 Deletions in an Italian Family.

Variations of DNA sequences in the human genome range from large, microscopically visible chromosome anomalies to single nucleotide changes. Submicroscopic genomic copy number variations, i.e. chromosomal imbalances which are undetectable by conventional cytogenetic analysis, play an intriguing clinical role. In this study, we describe the clinical consequences of the concurrent presence of an interstitial deletion in 13q34 and a terminal deletion in 4q35.2 in an Italian family. The index patient, a 19-year-old male, as well as his 12-year-old sister are carriers of both deletions, one of maternal and the other of paternal origin. The phenotype includes language delay, multiorgan involvement and bleeding diathesis with mild deficiency of factors X and VII. In the sister, the concomitant presence of Noonan syndrome may partly explain the clinical symptoms. The deleted region on chromosome 13 involves several genes (ATP11A, MCF2L, F7, F10, PROZ, PCID2, CUL4A, and LAMP1); some of these seem to play a role in the proband's phenotype. The terminal deletion in 4q35.2 contains other OMIM genes (FRG1, FRG2 and DBET); moreover, the 4q region is reported as a susceptibility locus for Crohn's disease, diagnosed in the proband's father. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a family with these 2 submicroscopic copy number changes. We tried to relate the clinical phenotype of the proband and his family to the molecular function of the involved genes.

Clinical efficacy and determinants of response to treatment with desmopressin in mild hemophilia a.

Although desmopressin (DDAVP) is considered as the treatment of choice for many patients with mild hemophilia A, several aspects of DDAVP therapy remain unclear, including the rate and type of response and the molecular determinants of its clinical efficacy. To investigate these issues, we retrospectively studied all patients with mild hemophilia A followed up at the Parma Hemophilia Center. A total of 75 patients were enrolled who underwent a DDAVP test, and out of whom, 76% (57/75) had a complete or partial response. Response to DDAVP was significantly correlated to the patients' age (median age of responders and nonresponders: 24 and 18 y, respectively; p = 0.04) and type of mutation (all the 10 patients with mutations in the promoter region were nonresponders). The median basal factor VIII (FVIII):C level was significantly lower in responders than in nonresponders (0.14 vs. 0.19 IU/mL, respectively; p = 0.01); this was mainly due to nonresponders with promoter region mutations who had higher basal FVIII:C levels. During the 12-year follow-up, 82 of 237 (35%) bleeding episodes occurring in 27 responder patients were treated with 246 DDAVP infusions with complete or partial efficacy in 92% (75/82). Overall, 142 events were managed with 253 prophylactic DDAVP infusions, which were hemostatically effective in 96% of cases. No severe adverse reactions to DDAVP administration were recorded during the study period. These results document the safety and efficacy of DDAVP as a treatment or prevention of bleeding in patients with mild hemophilia A, also in the context of home treatment, and encourage the more widespread use of this product.

Anaphylaxis in patients with congenital bleeding disorders and inhibitors.

Anaphylactic reactions are rare emergencies observed in patients with inherited bleeding disorders. When these adverse events occur in patients with inhibitors, they further complicate the management of an already challenging clinical situation. Anaphylactoid inhibitors have been reported in patients with inhibitors associated with hemophilia A, hemophilia B, and type 3 von Willebrand disease. In this review, we summarize the current literature data on the occurrence of anaphylactoid reactions in patients with inherited bleeding disorders and alloantibodies. In particular, we focus on the pathophysiology of the inhibitor development and its management.

Secondary prophylaxis in adolescent and adult haemophiliacs.

Progressive arthropathy of large joints of the limbs (knees, ankles, elbows), resulting from recurrent joint bleeds and subsequent long-term degenerative phenomena, is one of the main causes of morbidity and of deterioration of quality of life in adult severe hemophiliacs. While primary prophylaxis (i.e. the regular continuous long-term infusion of factor concentrates started before the age of two years and/or after no more than one joint bleed) is nowadays considered the gold standard for preserving joint function in patients with severe haemophilia, the benefits of secondary prophylaxis (i.e., all the long-term regular treatments not fulfilling the criteria of primary prophylaxis) are still controversial. In this review we present the literature data on secondary prophylaxis, focusing on adolescent and adults haemophiliacs along with clinical experience in Italy. On the whole, the more recently published studies suggest the effectiveness of early and delayed secondary prophylaxis. However, a number of questions are still unanswered, including the optimal dose, dosing interval and duration of secondary prophylaxis. Only large, prospective, long-term, possibly randomized studies will help to definitively assess the clinical impact of this strategy in adolescent and adult hemophiliacs.