Bozena Sokolowska
Medical University of Lublin, Poland
Title: Acquired hemophilia properly diagnosed, successfully treated: A report of 9 cases
Biography
Biography: Bozena Sokolowska
Abstract
Acquired hemophilia is a suddenly occurring severe blood diathesis both females and males, which may lead to death among 8-42% of patients. So far 9 patients with acquired hemophilia have been successfully treated in the Department of Hemato oncology in Lublin. The patients include 4 men and 5 women (aged from 24-74; average age 50). Two women suffered from the disease due to pregnancy and puerperium, for the remaining patients acquired hemophilia resulted from: Psoriasis, chronic hepatitis and pemphigus foliaceus. In men the cause of emergence of auto antibodies against coagulation factor VIII might have been: Amyloidosis and bone marrow transplantation (2 patients), chronic respiratory tract disease. The most common manifestations of the disease include extensive subcutaneous hemorrhages and intramuscular hematomas. One female patient was referred to a surgery due to hematomas in the abdomen cavity. As a result some persistent bleedings from the surgical wound occurred. In another patient the fist manifestation of the disease was an epileptic seizure caused by hemorrhagic focus in the corpus callosum of the brain. Three patients were treated only with rVIIa, one female patient with aPCC as a monotherapy and one with both drugs. In the treatment of the remaining patients DDAVP, Factor VIII concentrate, FFP were used. In case of eliminating inhibitor the combination of prednisone with cyclophosphamide was the most effective first line treatment. Summing up only prompt diagnosis and proper treatment implementation can save the life of patients with acquired hemophilia.