Thromb Haemost 1999; 82(02): 525-530
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1615875
Research Article
Schattauer GmbH

Prophylactic Infusion Regimens in the Management of Hemophilia

Rolf C. R. Ljung
1   Departments of Pediatrics and Coagulation Disorders, University of Lund, University Hospital, Malmö, SWEDEN
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
09 December 2017 (online)

Introduction

The goal of prophylactic treatment of hemophilia is to convert the severe form of the disorder into a milder form by administration of factors VIII or IX. The rationale behind this is that chronic arthropathy, the hallmark of hemophilia after repeated bleedings, is less frequent and less severe in moderate hemophilia (i.e., factor VIII or factor IX concentrations of 1% to 4% of normal) than in severe hemophilia (i.e., factor VIII/factor IX concentrations lower than 1% of normal).1 Keep in mind, however, that prophylactic treatment also provides protection from all other forms of hemorrhage that may occur spontaneously or as a result of trivial trauma in the untreated hemophilic child. Today, prophylactic treatment is available to only a few hemophilia patients in the world, although it is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Federation of Haemophilia (WFH): “Since the main goal is to prevent joint bleeding and its sequelae, prophylaxis should be considered optimal management for persons with severe hemophilia A or B (i.e., with basal factor VIII and/or factor IX levels <1% of normal). Treatment should be started at the age of 1-2 years and be continued indefinitely. Where prophylaxis is not feasible or appropriate, on-demand therapy should be given.”2 In the United States, the Medical and Scientific Advisory Council of the National Hemophilia Foundation has recommended that “prophylaxis should be considered the optimal therapy for children with severe hemophilia A or B.”3 The aim of this chapter is to discuss prophylactic infusion regimens in the management of hemophilia.

 
  • References

  • 1 Ahlberg Å. Haemophilia in Sweden. VII. Incidence, treatment and prophylaxis of arthropathy and other musculosceletal manifestations of haemophilia A and B. Acta Orthop Scand 1965; 77 (Suppl): 3-132.
  • 2 Berntorp E, Boulyjenkov V, Brettler D, Chandy M, Jones P, Lee C, Lusher J, Mannucci P, Peake I, Rickard K. Modern treatment of haemophilia. Bull World Health Organ 1995; 73 (05) 691-701.
  • 3 The National Hemophilia Foundation. Medical and Scientific Advisory Council (MASAC) Recommendations Concerning Prophylaxis. National Hemophilia Foundation Medical Bulletin; 1994: 193.
  • 4 Ljung R. Meeting Report—2nd Workshop of the European Paediatric Network for Haemophilia Management. Haemophilia. 1998 In press.
  • 5 Aledort LM., Haschmeyer RH, Pettersson H. Orthopaedic Outcome Study Group. A longitudinal study of orthopaedic outcomes for severe factor VIII-deficient hemophiliacs. J Intern Med 1994; 236: 391-399.
  • 6 Nilsson IM, Blombäck M, Ahlberg Å. Our Experience in Sweden with Prophylaxis of Haemophilia. Proceedings of the 5th Congress of the World Federation of Haemophilia, Montreal. Bibl Haematol 1968; 34: 111-124.
  • 7 Nilsson IM, Hedner U, Ahlberg Å. Haemophilia prophylaxis in Sweden. Acta Paediatr Scand 1976; 65: 129-135.
  • 8 Nilsson IM, Berntorp E, Löfqvist T, Pettersson H. Twenty-five years´ experience of prophylactic treatment in severe haemophilia A and B. J Intern Med 1992; 232: 25-32.
  • 9 Nilsson IM. Is haemophilia prophylaxis achievable in the context of self-sufficiency?. Blood Coagul Fibrinol 1994; 5 (04) 71-75.
  • 10 Kasper CK, Dietrich SL, Rapaport SI. Hemophilia prophylaxis with factor VIII concentrate. Arch Intern Med 1970; 125: 1004-1009.
  • 11 Liesner RJ, Khair K, Hann IM. The impact of prophylactic treatment on children with severe haemophilia. Br J Haematol 1996; 92: 973-978.
  • 12 Schramm W. Experience with prophylaxis in Germany. Semin Hematol 1991; 30 (Suppl): 12-15.
  • 13 van den Berg HM, Nieuwenhuis HK, Mauser-Bunschoten EP, Rosendaal G. Hemophilia prophylaxis in the Netherlands. Semin Hematol 1994; 31 (Suppl): 13-15.
  • 14 Smith PS, Teutsch SM, Shaffer PA, Rolka H, Evatt B. Episodic versus prophylactic infusions for haemophilia A: a cost-effectiveness analysis. J Pediatr 1996; 129: 424-431.
  • 15 Lusher JM. Prophylaxis in children with hemophilia: is it the optimal treatment?. Thromb Haemost 1997; 78: 726-729.
  • 16 Schimpf K, Fischer B, Rothmann P. Hemophilia A prophylaxis with factor VIII concentrate in a home-treatment program: a controlled study. Scand J Haematol 1977; (Suppl. 30) 79-80.
  • 17 Soreff J, Blombäck M. Arthropathy in children with severe hemo philia A. Acta Paediatr Scand 1980; 69: 667-673.
  • 18 Petrini P, Blombäck M, Lindvall N. Prophylaxis with factor con centrates in preventing haemophilic arthropathy. Am J Paediatr Haematol Oncol 1991; 13: 280-287.
  • 19 Carlsson M, Berntorp E, Björkman P, Lindvall K. Pharmacokinetic dosing in prophylactic treatment of hemophilia A. Eur J Haematol 1993; 51: 247-252.
  • 20 Björkman S, Carlsson M., Berntorp E. Pharmacokinetics of fac tor IX in patients with haemophilia B. Methodological aspects and physiological interpretation. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1994; 46: 325-332.
  • 21 Carlsson M, Berntorp E, Björkman S, Lethagen S, Ljung R. Improved cost-effectiveness by pharmacokinetic dosing of Factor VIII in prophylactic treatment of haemophilia A. Haemophilia 1997; 3: 96-101.
  • 22 Berntorp E. Methods of haemophilia care delivery: regular prophylaxis versus episodic treatment. Haemophilia 1995; 1 (Suppl. 01) 3-7.
  • 23 Brinkhous KM. Hemophilia. Bull N Y Acad Med 1954; 30: 325.
  • 24 Schulman S, Gitel S, Martinowitz U. Stability of factor VIII concentrates after reconstitution. Am J Hematol 1994; 45: 217-223.
  • 25 Martinowitz U, Schulman S. Continuous infusion of coagulation products. Int J Pedriat Hematol 1994; 11: 471-478.
  • 26 Varon D, Martinowitz U. Continuous infusion therapy in hemophilia. Haemophilia 1998; 4: 431-435.
  • 27 Miekka SI, Jameson T, Singh M, Woolverton C, Lin H-M, Krajcik R, Macphee M, Drohan WN. Novel delivery systems for coagulation protein. Haemophilia 1998; 4: 436-442.
  • 28 Berntorp E, Frick K, Mätzsch T, carlsson M, Lethagen S. The Percuseal® device—a new option for effective continuous prophylaxis?. Haemophilia 1998; 4 (03) 184.
  • 29 Kaufman RJ, Pipe SW. Can we improve on nature? “Super molecules” of factor VIII. Haemophilia 1998; 4: 370-379.
  • 30 Kreutz W, Escuriola-Ettingshausen C, Funk M, Schmidt H, Kornhuber B. When should prophylactic treatment in patients with haemophilia A and B start?—The German experience. Haemophilia 1998; 4: 413-417.
  • 31 Scheibel E. Experiences with prophylaxis in Denmark. In: Prophylactic Treatment of Hemophilia A and B: Current and Future Perspectives. Proceedings Workshop, Malmö, Sweden Science & Medicine; New York: 1994: 21-22.
  • 32 Löfqvist T, Nilsson IM, Berntorp E, Pettersson H. Haemophilia prophylaxis in young patients–a long term follow-up. J Intern Med 1997; 241: 395-400.
  • 33 Pettersson H, Ahlberg Å, Nilsson IM. A radiologic classification of hemophilia arthropathy. Clin Orthop 1980; 149: 153-159.
  • 34 Astermark J, Petrini P, Tengborn L, Schulman S, Ljung R, Berntorp E. Primary prophylaxis in severe hemophilia should be started early but can be individualized. Brit J Haematol. In press.
  • 35 Ljung R, Petrini P, Lindgren AK, Berntorp E. Implantable central venous catheters facilitate prophylactic treatment in children with haemophilia. Acta Paediatr 1992; 81: 918-920.
  • 36 Liesner RJ, Vora AJ, Hann IM, Lilleyman JS. Use of central venous catheters in children with severe congenital coagulopathy. Br J Haematol 1995; 91: 203-207.
  • 37 Blanchette VS, al-Musa A, Stain AM, Filler RM, Ingram J. Central venous access catheters in children with haemophilia. Blood Coagul Fibrinol 1996; (Suppl. 01) 39-44.
  • 38 Warrier I, Baird-Cox K, Lusher JM. Use of central venous catheters in children with haemophilia: one hemophilia treatment centre experience. Haemophilia 1997; 3: 194-198.
  • 39 Miller K, Buchanan GR, Zappa S, Cochran C, Laufenberg J, Medeiros D, Sanders J. Implantable venous access devices in children with hemophilia: A report of low infection rates. J Paediatr 1998; 132: 934-938.
  • 40 Ljung R, van den Berg HM, Petrini Tengborn L, Scheibel E, Kekomäki R, Effenberger W. Port-A-Cath usage in children with haemophilia - experience of 53 cases. Acta Paediatr 1998; 87: 1051-1054.
  • 41 Ljung R. Can haemophilic arthropathy be prevented?. Brit J Haematol 1998; 101: 215-219.