Acquired factor VIII inhibitors: case reports of paclitaxel and penicillin-induced entities

Acquired hemophilia A is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening clinical entity mediated by specific autoantibodies direct against coagulation factor VIII. It may be associated with a number of conditions such as solid malignancies, autoimmune diseases, lymphoproliferative disorders, and drugs. Early recognition of this entity is necessary to avoid a delay in treatment, which might lead to serious complications including severe bleeding and death. Hereby, we report a case of acquired hemophilia A caused by a commonly used drug, penicillin, as well as the first reported case, to our knowledge, of acquired Factor VIII inhibitor secondary to paclitaxel.