Dilemmas on emicizumab in children with haemophilia A: A survey of strategies from PedNet centres.

INTRODUCTION: Haemophilia A care has changed with the introduction of emicizumab. Experience on the youngest children is still scarce and clinical practice varies between haemophilia treatment centres. AIM: We aimed to assess the current clinical practice on emicizumab prophylaxis within PedNet, a collaborative research platform for paediatricians treating children with haemophilia. METHODS: An electronic survey was sent to all PedNet members (n = 32) between October 2022 and February 2023. The survey included questions on the availability of emicizumab, on the practice of initiating prophylaxis in previously untreated or minimally treated patients (PUPs or MTPs) and emicizumab use in patients with or without inhibitors. RESULTS: All but four centres (28/32; 88%) responded. Emicizumab was available in clinical practice in 25/28 centres (89%), and in 3/28 for selected patients only (e.g. with inhibitors). Emicizumab was the preferred choice for prophylaxis in PUPs or MTPs in 20/25 centres; most (85%) started emicizumab prophylaxis before 1 year of age (30% before 6 months of age) and without concomitant FVIII (16/20; 80%). After the loading dose, 13/28 centres administered the recommended dosing, while the others adjusted the interval of injections to give whole vials. In inhibitor patients, the use of emicizumab during ITI was common, with low-dose ITI being the preferred protocol. CONCLUSION: Most centres choose to initiate prophylaxis with emicizumab before 12 months of age and without concomitant FVIII. In inhibitor patients, ITI is mostly given in addition to emicizumab, but there was no common practice on how to proceed after successful ITI.

The impact of psychosocial determinants on caregivers' burden of children with haemophilia (results of the BBC study).

INTRODUCTION: Caring for a child with haemophilia is burdensome and impacting on caregivers' emotional and financial status. This paper assesses the impact of psychosocial determinants on caregivers' burden across European countries. METHODS: This non-interventional study enrolled caregiver/child dyads at haemophilia treatment centres (HTCs) using the "HEMOphilia associated CAregiver Burden scale" (HEMOCAB). Socio-demographic characteristics and clinical data were collected. RESULTS: A total of 144 dyads from Germany (n = 19), Italy (n = 19), Netherlands (n = 19), Turkey (n = 20), Sweden (n = 21), UK (n = 21) and Poland (n = 25) participated. Caregivers' mean age was 39.84 ± 7 (range 24-57); 81.3% were mothers, married (80.4%), living with a partner (86.6%), had a college/university degree (66.5%) and worked (74.2%). Around two thirds of caregivers (66.2%) reported that haemophilia affected their life; 26.8% reported an economic impact; 57.6% reported their child cannot do certain things because of his condition. Caregivers lost an average of 8.35 ± 14.5 days due to haemophilia. The highest burden was reported in the HEMOCAB domains "Perception of Child" (37.9 ± 24.7), "Emotional Stress" (37.4 ± 22.6) and "Medical Management" (33.1 ± 22.8). Significantly, higher burden was found in caregivers who reported that haemophilia "affects their life" (P < 0.0001), "has an economic impact" (P < 0.0001), "their child cannot do certain things" (P < 0.0001), "they spent ≥5 h/mo infusing" (P < 0.003) and "they needed ≥3 h/mo to reach the HTC" (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: This "snapshot" analysis of burden related to caring for a child with haemophilia across Europe revealed the greatest burdens are economic, including days lost from work, and things that a child cannot do, impacting on both child and caregiver.

The burden of bleeds and other clinical determinants on caregivers of children with haemophilia (the BBC Study).

INTRODUCTION: Treatment burden for the people with haemophilia has been documented, as has the burden of caring for a child with a common chronic disease such as asthma or diabetes. However, there remains a paucity of data about caregiver burden in haemophilia. AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of bleeding on caregivers of children with haemophilia. Caregiver burden was stratified by the clinical status of their child. METHODS: A multinational, non-interventional study of caregivers of children with severe or moderate haemophilia, using the HEMOCABquestionnaire to evaluate caregiver burden. RESULTS: A total of 144 caregivers from seven EU countries participated in the study. Differences in caregiver burden were identified based on the clinical situation of the child. Greater burden was seen in caregivers of children who experienced joint bleeding in the preceding 12 months, or had target joints or reduced range of motion in most domains of the HEMOCAB. Caring for a child with a current inhibitor also caused significantly higher burden for caregivers when compared to caring for a child with tolerized inhibitor or without inhibitor. Caregivers of children with chronic pain reported significantly higher burden in all domains of the HEMOCAB except for "interaction with the father." CONCLUSION: Caregiver burden can be affected by the child's haemophilia status, particularly if joint health is impacted (eg bleeds, decreased mobility) or if the child suffers from chronic pain which was moderately correlated with joint bleeds.

Factor VIII products and inhibitor development in severe hemophilia A.

BACKGROUND: For previously untreated children with severe hemophilia A, it is unclear whether the type of factor VIII product administered and switching among products are associated with the development of clinically relevant inhibitory antibodies (inhibitor development). METHODS: We evaluated 574 consecutive patients with severe hemophilia A (factor VIII activity, <0.01 IU per milliliter) who were born between 2000 and 2010 and collected data on all clotting-factor administration for up to 75 exposure days. The primary outcome was inhibitor development, which was defined as at least two positive inhibitor tests with decreased in vivo recovery of factor VIII levels. RESULTS: Inhibitory antibodies developed in 177 of the 574 children (cumulative incidence, 32.4%); 116 patients had a high-titer inhibitory antibody, defined as a peak titer of at least 5 Bethesda units per milliliter (cumulative incidence, 22.4%). Plasma-derived products conferred a risk of inhibitor development that was similar to the risk with recombinant products (adjusted hazard ratio as compared with recombinant products, 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62 to 1.49). As compared with third-generation full-length recombinant products (derived from the full-length complementary DNA sequence of human factor VIII), second-generation full-length products were associated with an increased risk of inhibitor development (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.08 to 2.37). The content of von Willebrand factor in the products and switching among products were not associated with the risk of inhibitor development. CONCLUSIONS: Recombinant and plasma-derived factor VIII products conferred similar risks of inhibitor development, and the content of von Willebrand factor in the products and switching among products were not associated with the risk of inhibitor development. Second-generation full-length recombinant products were associated with an increased risk, as compared with third-generation products. (Funded by Bayer Healthcare and Baxter BioScience.).