Diagnostic evaluation of our patients with hemophilia A: 17-year experience

Hemophilia A is a rare inherited bleeding disorder resulting from factor VIII deficiency and is a group of diseases characterized by intra-articular and intramuscular bleeding. In this study, we aimed to retrospectively evaluate the treatment outcomes, demographic and clinical characteristics of our patients who were treated and followed up for last 17 years in our pediatric hematology unit with a diagnosis of Hemophilia A.

The medical records of 83 patients who were diagnosed with Hemophilia A and followed up between 1997 and 2014 in our hospital's pediatric hematology clinic were reviewed retrospectively. The demographic data, prophylaxis state, development of inhibitors and clinical characteristics of the patients were evaluated.

When the complaints at presentation were examined, it was found that 27 (32%) patients had hemarthrosis, 24 (29%) patients had ecchymosis and hematoma, 13 (16%) patients had prolonged bleeding after trauma or cut, 10 (12%) patients had gingival, mouth or nose bleeding, 4 (5%) patients had prolonged bleeding after circumcision, 4 (5%) patients had gastrointestinal bleeding, 1 (1%) patient had hematuria. Fifty (60%) patients were considered severe hemophilia A, 20 (24%) patients were considered moderate hemophilia A and 13 (16%) patients were considered mild hemophilia A according to factor activity. Among severe hemophilia A patients, primary prophylaxis was being administered in 2 (2%) patients and secondary prophylaxis was being administered in 40 (48%) patients. Inhibitor positivity was found in 8 (10%) of these patients. It is found that hemophilic artropathy developed in 17 patients and 8 of these 17 patients had undergone radioisotope synovectomy.

Treatment of severe bleeding in hemophilia A patients should be performed in hospital and the presence of inhibitor must be investigated in cases of uncontrolled bleeding where adequate doses of factor concentrates have been administered for treatment. In order to decrease the development of inhibitor, prophlaxis should be suggested to patients rather than repetetive treatment when bleeding occurs. The radioactive synovectomy should not be overlooked in countries like ours in which factors can not be used adequately.