Despite the high mortality rate for acquired hemophilia and the availability of suggested drug treatments, there are no randomized, controlled studies to inform doctors of the best therapies for their patients.
Immunoabsorption therapy (IA) is one such treatment that has been proposed as valid because of its ability to remove factor VIII clotting inhibitors from the bloodstream, but the data on its effectiveness are limited, according to Michael Esteves Pereira, of the Bern (Switzerland) University Hospital and the University of Bern, and colleagues.
In order to help answer the question of the benefits of IA for treating acquired hemophilia, the researchers performed a retrospective study assessing observational data as well as a systemic review and meta-analysis of published literature. They found evidence that the therapy was effective, but suggest that more confirmatory studies are needed, according to their report published online in Transfusion Medicine Reviews.
Data from the authors’ institution were available for 12 patients with acquired hemophilia treated since 2002. The median age was 76 years and four patients were women. The bleeding phenotype was extensive bruising and/or muscle hematomas in nine patients, gastrointestinal bleeding in two patients, and extensive bleeding after tooth extraction in one patient. Their data were added to the 10 published studies included in the literature review, resulting in a total of 118 patients.
Promising results
The author’s single institution analysis showed that IA treatment stopped bleeding in nine patients, while three patients did not respond. At 3 months, the median factor VIII increased to 80 IU/dL (considered complete remission) and the median inhibitor titer decreased to 0.15 BU/mL.
The pooled proportion of the meta-analysis patients treated with IA who achieved factor VIII recovery defined as complete remission was 86% (95% confidence interval, 76%-94%). The pooled proportion of patients with a reduction of the inhibitor titer was 95% (95% CI, 83%-100%), while the pooled mortality was 7% (95% CI, 0%-18%). Sensitivity analyses did not reveal any significant differences in retrospective studies or in studies using different absorbing agents.
In addition, there were few reported side effects, most of which were considered mild, according to the researchers. These included nausea and vomiting, paresthesia, and mild hypotension. The authors did suggest that, as a central venous catheter is often used, patients were exposed to an added risk of bleeding and infection.
“At our institution, IA is considered on a case-by-case base rather than a strict cutoff level. Strong arguments are life-threatening bleeding complications, inhibitor titers 20 BU/mL or greater, or failed immunosuppressive treatment with corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide using an established dose regimen,” the researchers stated.
“Even though firm evidence is still lacking and the actual ‘added value’ of IA cannot be adequately assessed, we believe that IA might be a beneficial adjunctive treatment modality in some patients with acquired hemophilia. It was associated with a complete remission in the majority of patients, most of whom are at high risk of bleeding,” the researchers added.
The authors reported that they had no relevant disclosures.