Long-term analysis of the benefit of prophylaxis for adult patients with severe or moderate haemophilia A.

INTRODUCTION: Prophylaxis with factor VIII (FVIII) concentrates in children with haemophilia A (HA) is current standard of care. The benefit of prophylactic treatment for adult HA patients is not commonly accepted. AIM: To investigate the benefit of prophylaxis over on-demand treatment in adult and elderly patients with severe or non-severe HA in a real-life setting. METHODS: Data from 163 patients comprising 1202 patient-years were evaluated for 7.5 (±5.3) years. The effects on the annual bleeding rate (ABR, including spontaneous and traumatic bleeds) of treatment with a plasma-derived FVIII concentrate, the patient's age and disease severity were investigated. The effect of changing the treatment from on demand to continuous prophylaxis on the patients' ABRs was further analysed. RESULTS: Prophylaxis had the greatest effect on the ABRs of patients of any age with severe or non-severe HA. The difference in ABR of all patients treated on demand (median 31.4; interquartile range (IQR) 27.6; N = 83) compared with those treated prophylactically (median 1.3; IQR 3.6; N = 122) was statistically significant (P < .05), even for patients with non-severe HA (median 8.4; IQR 15.5; N = 11) vs median 1.5; IQR 4.2 (N = 17), P < .05). Patients, aged up to 88 years, switching from on demand to continuous prophylaxis showed the lowest median ABR (1.1; N = 51) after their regimen change. CONCLUSION: Any (even low-frequency) prophylaxis results in lower ABR than on-demand treatment. Patients switching to prophylaxis benefitted the most, irrespective of age or HA severity. Prophylactic treatment-even tertiary-is the regimen of choice for patients of any age, including elderly patients, with severe or non-severe HA.

Perioperative management of a pediatric patient with suspected type 1 von Willebrand disease undergoing tonsillectomy: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is the most common inherited bleeding disorder in humans. Coagulopathies such as VWD are evidently risk factors for post-surgical bleeding. Perioperative management of patients with VWD remains controversial and is a major clinical concern. CASE PRESENTATION: A 5-year-old girl was scheduled for tonsillectomy under general anesthesia. Preoperative laboratory tests revealed prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time and a mild decrease in von Willebrand factor (VWF) activity. Prophylactic administration of desmopressin or VWF was not performed. During tonsillectomy, oozing from the surgical wound was uncontrollable by conventional hemostasis techniques, but complete hemostasis was ensured by plasma-derived coagulation factor VIII concentrate containing VWF. CONCLUSION: Pediatric patients with mild abnormalities in preoperative laboratory tests may have coagulopathies. Prophylactic intervention and/or the preparation of a sufficient amount of coagulation factor VIII concentrate containing VWF may be required in patients suspected of having VWD or with mild VWF deficiency.

Present day management of inherited bleeding disorders in pregnancy.

INTRODUCTION: How specifically to prevent post-partum haemorrhage (PPH) remains a challenge in pregnant women with an inherited bleeding disorder. There exists a morbidity of 5-10% of patients as well as increased mortality. AREAS COVERED: This review will survey the literature based on Medline review and various society monographs. Numerous societies have developed guidelines in hopes of reducing the risk of PPH. The guidelines are congruent in stating that the von Willebrand factor (VWF) /Factor VIII (FVIII) level must be > 50% to both permit safely epidural analgesia but also to prevent PPH. However, specific guidance is lacking in terms of how high and long a level should be achieved. Recent studies report a high rate of PPH in these treated patients despite aiming for levels > 50-100% suggesting that a postpartum post-replacement VWF/FVIII level of 50-100% is inadequate and follow up dosing should maintain higher levels then typically achieved per 'guidelines'. Expert commentary: Future studies to reduce PPH in women in the third trimester with levels < 50% should incorporate concurrent post-partum antifibrinolytic agent therapy and/or double utertonics and/or aiming for a higher trough factor level closer to 200% than 100% and maintaining such a level for several days postpartum.