Hemostatic defect due to acquired circulating inhibitors against lipid procoagulant and factor VIII

An 85 year old woman was studied because of severe bleeding. Acquired inhibitors to factor VIII and to phospholipid procoagulants were demonstrated. Platelet factor 3 (Pf3) assay was prolonged with both kaolin and Russell's Viper Venom (Stypven-R). It was normal with patient's washed platelets and normal plasma, but abnormal when normal platelets were incubated with patient's plasma. The inhibitor also blocked the coagulant action of Bell and Alton thromboplastin, inosithin, phosphatidyl ethanolamine and phosphatidyl choline, but not that of tissue thromboplastin or cardiolipin. All other platelet functions were normal. The inhibitors were purified by Al (OH3) absorption, heating at 56degrees, precipitation by 50% ammonium sulfate, followed by dialysis and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. A partial separation of the two inhibitors was achieved. Cyclophosphamide treatment resulted in cessation of bleeding and dissappearance of the inhibitors. This seems to be the first instance of an acquired circulating inhibitor specifically directed against phospholipid procoagulants in a patient who also had an inhibitor to Factor VIII.