Joint involvement in patients with severe haemophilia A in 1957-59 and 1978-79

Clinical findings of joint involvement in patients with severe haemophilia A were compared between two surveys made in 1957-59 and 1978-79. Permanent joint changes wee seen in 50 (81%) of 62 patients in 1957-59 and in 70 (86%) of 81 patients in 1978-79. The incidence of permanent changes was the same in the two surveys in all 10-year age groups, but the degree of involvement was less severe in the two youngest age groups in 1978-79. It is concluded that effective replacement therapy can delay but not prevent completely the development of progressive arthropathy in patients with severe haemophilia A.