Acquired hemophilia: a single-center survey with emphasis on immunotherapy and treatment-related side-effects

First-line immunosuppressive therapies for acquired hemophilia A: A 25-year cohort experience and network meta-analysis

Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) presents a significant bleeding risk. Management involves bleeding control and immunosuppressive therapy (IST) to eliminate inhibitors. This study, encompassing a retrospective cohort of 76 newly diagnosed AHA patients (1997-2022), evaluated IST outcomes such as complete remission (CR), relapse, and mortality rates, alongside influencing factors. Supplementing these findings, a systematic review and network meta-analysis compared CR and relapse rates across ISTs, sourcing from Embase, Scopus, and ScienceDirect up to November 2023. In our cohort, demarcated by a 20 Bethesda-unit titer threshold, cyclophosphamide plus prednisolone (CP; n = 64) was the predominant initial IST. Lower inhibitor levels significantly correlated with higher CR rates (86.8 % vs 62.2 %; P = .014) and showed an odds ratio of 0.26 for CR (P = .021). Median relapse-free survival (RFS) extended to 37.13 months, significantly enhanced by CP (hazard ratio, 0.24; 95 % confidence interval, 0.10-0.60; P = .002). Our network meta-analysis, including 1476 CR and 636 relapse patients, indicated CP and rituximab-based ISTs significantly outperformed steroid monotherapy in terms of CR and lower relapse rates (risk differences of 0.15 and -0.13/-0.15, respectively; P < .05), without significant differences between CP and rituximab. Moreover, adding rituximab to the front-line treatment did not produce superior outcomes compared to the CP regimen alone, positioning CP as a viable first-line choice, particularly where rituximab is less accessible. The consideration of IST toxicity remains critical in treatment decisions.

Acquired haemophilia A in the postpartum and risk of relapse in subsequent pregnancies: A systematic literature review

BACKGROUND

About 1%-5% of acquired haemophilia A cases affect mothers in the postpartum setting.

AIMS

This study delineates the characteristics of this disease, specific to the postpartum setting, notably relapse in subsequent pregnancies.

METHODS

Report of two cases and literature study (1946-2019), yielding 73 articles describing 174 cases (total 176 cases).

RESULTS

Patients were aged 29.9 years (17-41) and 69% primigravidae. Diagnosis was made at a median of 60 days after delivery (range 0-308). Bleeding types were obstetrical (43.4%), cutaneous (41.3%), and muscular (36.7%). In >90% of the cases, FVIII at diagnosis was <1% (range 0%-8%). FVIII inhibitor was documented in 75.4% cases (median titre of 20 BU/ml, range 1-621). Haemostatic treatment was necessary in 57.1% using fresh frozen plasma (16%), factor concentrate (27.6%) and/or bypassing agents (37.4%). Immunosuppressive treatment was administered in 90.8%, mostly steroids (85.3%), alone or combined with immunosuppressants (27%). Rituximab was used mostly as a second line treatment. Only 24 patients (13.6%) had documented subsequent pregnancies and 6 (22.2%) suffered haemophilia recurrence during pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

This study allows better definition of: (1) clinical and laboratory characteristics of postpartum acquired haemophilia, (2) response to therapy, and (3) the risk of relapse for subsequent pregnancies.

Acquired Hemophilia A in Aged People: A Systematic Review of Case Reports and Case Series

Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) is a rare disease that requires urgent management. Currently, there is no consensus regarding optimal management in aged people. This systematic review aimed to describe diagnosis, clinical features, management, and endpoints in population aged 65 years or over with AHA. A literature search up to and including 31 May 2017 was performed in Medline, Embase, and Scopus. The search strategy on article titles comprised the following terms: "acquired" AND ("hemophilia A" OR "haemophilia A"). Filters were applied for age (65 years or older), publication type (case reports and case series), and studies including human beings only. There was no language restriction in the search strategy. Studies with no data on immunosuppressive therapy, and studies in other languages than English or French were excluded. Patient-level and study-level information was extracted. In total, 270 studies were identified by the literature search. After exclusion of duplicates, and studies presenting exclusion criteria, 80 articles including 159 cases were included in the final review. These 159 cases were 76.1 ± 7.2 years old, and were mainly men (64%). There is wide variety in the therapies used to eradicate the Factor VIII autoantibody, and efficacy is difficult to assess. The majority of patients with AHA receive immunosuppressants. Mortality is high, and likely depends on the rapidity of diagnosis and implementation of adequate management and monitoring.

Acquired haemophilia in cancer: A systematic and critical literature review

AIM

There is a paucity of data on the clinical presentation and management of cancer patients with acquired haemophilia (AH), we here report a systematic literature review on acquired haemophilia in the context of cancer.

METHODS

Treatment outcomes of AH were defined as complete response (CR), partial response (PR) or no response (NR), based on inhibitor eradication, coagulation factor VIII levels and bleeding control. Reported deaths were either related to cancer or bleeding.

RESULTS

Overall, 105 cases were collected and analyzed according to classification of cancer and efficacy of treatments for inhibitor and malignancy. The mean age was 68 years for both males (range 37-86 years) and females (range 43-89 years), 39 patients were female subjects and 66 were males. A solid cancer was diagnosed in 60 subjects, while 45 patients suffered a haematological malignancy. Solid cancers affected mainly males; however, the incidence of solid tumours vs haematological malignancies was not statistically significant (P = .09). Not all patients were treated for their underlying cancer, bleeding and/or inhibitor, in two cases outcome is unavailable. CR was reported in 62.1% (64/103) cases, PR in 9.7% (10/103) cases, NR with or without death was reported in 28.1% (29/103) cases.

CONCLUSION

CR was best achieved when successful and complete elimination of autoantibodies occurred contemporaneously with the successful treatment of the underlying malignancy. In some cases, recurrent autoantibodies were harbingers of relapsed cancer. Type of cancer, inhibitor titer, treatments administered for bleeding control and inhibitor eradication did not significantly affect clinical outcome of analyzed cases.

Acquired Hemophilia: A Case Report of 2 Patients With Acquired Factor VIII Inhibitor Treated With Rituximab Plus a Short Course of Steroid and Review of the Literature

Acquired hemophilia is an unusual disorder in which nonhemophiliac patients develop autoantibodies (inhibitor) against the factor VIII coagulation protein. Factor VIII inhibitor leads to life-threatening bleeding disorders classically described as new onset of diffuse bruising and prolonged partial thromboplastin time in elderly patients. Treatment is focused in the control of the acute bleeding episode and the long-term suppression of the autoantibody. Several immunosuppressive combinations have been described; however, these treatments are also associated with serious side effects that are difficult to tolerate, especially in older and debilitated patients. New treatment modalities explore the elimination of the autoantibody production by targeting B-cells with rituximab, an anti CD-20 monoclonal antibody that has shown success in a multitude of autoimmune processes. This report presents 2 patients successfully treated with rituximab and a short tapering course of steroids and focuses our discussion in the analysis of different treatment approaches available for these patients' population.

Interventions for treating acute bleeding episodes in people with acquired hemophilia A

BACKGROUND

Acquired hemophilia A is a rare bleeding disorder caused by autoantibodies to coagulation factor VIII (FVIII). In most cases, bleeding episodes are spontaneous and severe at presentation. The optimal hemostatic therapy is controversial.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the efficacy of hemostatic therapies for acute bleeds in people with acquired hemophilia A; and to compare different forms of therapy for these bleeds.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2014, Issue 4) and MEDLINE (Ovid) (1948 to 30 April 2014). We searched the conference proceedings of the: American Society of Hematology; European Hematology Association; International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH); and the European Association for Haemophilia and Allied Disorders (EAHAD) (from 2000 to 30 April 2014). In addition to this we searched clinical trials registers.

SELECTION CRITERIA

All randomised controlled trials and quasi-randomised trials of hemostatic therapies for people with acquired hemophilia A, with no restrictions on gender, age or ethnicity.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

No trials matching the selection criteria were eligible for inclusion.

MAIN RESULTS

No trials matching the selection criteria were eligible for inclusion.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

No randomised clinical trials of hemostatic therapies for acquired hemophilia A were found. Thus, we are not able to draw any conclusions or make any recommendations on the optimal hemostatic therapies for acquired hemophilia A based on the highest quality of evidence. GIven that carrying out randomized controlled trials in this field is a complex task, the authors suggest that, while planning randomised controlled trials in which patients can be enrolled, clinicians treating the disease continue to base their choices on alternative, lower quality sources of evidence, which hopefully, in the future, will also be appraised and incorporated in a Cochrane Review.

The prognosis and treatment of acquired hemophilia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The inhibition of factor VIII by autoantibody development, or acquired hemophilia, occurs in approximately one person per million each year and can cause life-threatening bleeding. Due to the disease rarity, there are no randomized studies addressing prognostic features and treatment. The goal of this study is to identify prognostic indictors in acquired hemophilia to guide treatment choices. MEDLINE and EMBASE search from 1985-2008 retrieved 32 studies with detailed clinical information on five or more patients with acquired hemophilia. Univariate and multivariate analysis of the effects of age, sex, underlying condition, inhibitor titer, and treatment regimen were evaluated with regards to complete remission and death. A total of 32 studies containing 359 patients with acquired hemophilia were included in the analysis. The all-cause mortality rate in this cohort was 21%. Multivariate analyses revealed that patients more likely to die are the elderly [odds ratio (OR) 2.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32-4.36] and those with underlying malignancy (OR 2.76, CI 1.38-5.50). Early achievement of complete remission resulted in improved survival. Complete remission occurred in 94% of patients receiving combination chemotherapy, 82% receiving dual therapy, and 68% receiving steroids alone. Patients receiving immunosuppression had reduced odds of persistent hemophilia, with combination chemotherapy being the most efficacious (OR 0.04, CI 0.01-0.23) and steroid therapy alone being the least (OR 0.38, CI 0.14-0.94). In acquired hemophilia, increased age, underlying malignancy, and lack of complete remission are risk factors for death. Although the included studies were not randomized, patients treated with combination chemotherapy had the greatest odds of remission and the lowest odds of death.

Treatment of acquired haemophilia with recombinant activated FVII: a critical appraisal

Acquired haemophilia is a rare bleeding disorder usually caused by the spontaneous formation of inhibitory antibodies to coagulation FVIII. The disease occurs most commonly in the elderly, and although acquired haemophilia may be associated with a variety of underlying conditions, up to 50% of reported cases are idiopathic. Treatment options have traditionally involved human FVIII or FIX replacement therapy (if the inhibitor titre allows), porcine FVIII or the use of activated pro-thrombin complex concentrates. Recombinant activated coagulation FVII (rFVIIa) was available on an emergency and compassionate use basis from 1988 to 1999 at sites in Europe and North America. It has been registered in Europe for use in treating acquired haemophilia since 1996 and has recently been licensed for this indication in the United States. By directly activating FX on the surface of activated platelets at the site of injury (thereby bypassing FVIII and FIX), rFVIIa can circumvent the actions of inhibitory antibodies present in acquired haemophilia patients. This paper provides an overview of experiences with rFVIIa for the treatment of acquired haemophilia from the NovoSeven compassionate and emergency use programmes (1989-1999), the Hemophilia and Thrombosis Research Society Registry, and independent published reports from January 1999 to September 2005. rFVIIa has been reported to provide safe and effective haemostasis as a first line therapy in patients of all ages for a variety of surgical and non-surgical bleeding situations.

Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for acquired coagulation inhibitors: a critical review

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy has been used for autoimmune diseases and disorders involving autoantibodies, including coagulation inhibitors. In this review, we have evaluated the efficacy and safety of IVIG therapy for acquired coagulation inhibitors, including factor VIII inhibitor, and for acquired von Willebrand syndrome on the basis of 44 reports published between 1965 and 2005. Among 35 patients with factor VIII inhibitor, we estimated the efficacy of IVIG therapy alone (which includes complete remissions and partial responses with a clinical benefit) to be 30% (11 cases), whereas the response to combination therapy with IVIG plus immunosuppressive agents (eg, corticosteroid, cyclophosphamide) seemed to be better (approximately 70%, 33/45 cases) than with IVIG therapy alone. In acquired von Willebrand syndrome, the efficacy of IVIG therapy was estimated to be 30%. The response to IVIG therapy appears to occur rapidly, and coagulation inhibitors seem to be neutralized immediately. Moreover, severe complications or side effects rarely occur during IVIG treatment. IVIG therapy thus may be considered one choice for treating acquired coagulation inhibitors, although its efficacy improves when used in combination with immunosuppressive agents.

Postpartum acquired factor VIII inhibitors

The development of factor VIII autoantibodies is a rare but severe complication of pregnancy. Although the natural history of postpartum acquired hemophilia A is usually benign, with a high percentage of spontaneous remissions and a low mortality, its quick recognition is important to control bleeding episodes. Based on an analysis of the literature, this review presents the current knowledge on the pathogenesis, diagnosis, epidemiology, natural history, clinical manifestations, and therapeutic management of postpartum acquired hemophilia A.

Acquired hemophilia A

Acquired hemophilia A is a rare but severe autoimmune bleeding disorder, resulting from the presence of autoantibodies directed against clotting factor VIII. The etiology of the disorder remains obscure, although approximately half of all cases are associated with other underlying conditions. A prompt diagnosis and appropriate management enable effective control of this acquired hemorrhagic disorder: the aims of therapy are to terminate the acute bleeding episode and eliminate or reduce the inhibitor. The recent availability of bypassing agents, first activated prothrombin complex concentrates and then recombinant activated factor VII, has significantly reduced mortality during the acute phase of the disease in patients with high titer inhibitors. On another front, immunosuppressive therapy (corticosteroids and cytotoxic agents, alone or in various combinations) has resulted in long-term inhibitor suppression in up to 70% of the cases. Moreover, new therapeutic strategies (anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody and immune tolerance protocols) are very promising and may further improve the prognosis of acquired hemophilia A.

Acquired hemophilia A: a concise review

Acquired hemophilia A is a rare but severe autoimmune bleeding disorder. It is more frequent in the elderly and results from the presence of autoantibodies directed against clotting factor VIII. In this review, we briefly report on the present state of knowledge regarding acquired hemophilia A, analyzing its epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic, and clinical features. We also describe the main characteristics of this disorder according to its association with different conditions and the most important advances in the treatment of bleeding episodes and the eradication of the autoantibody.

Rituximab for autoimmune haemophilia: a proposed treatment algorithm

We previously reported durable complete responses following brief courses of rituximab and prednisone with or without cyclophosphamide in four patients with autoimmune haemophilia and inhibitor titres of 5-60 BU. We report here responses to this monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody in four additional patients, including two patients with inhibitor titres >200 BU. Factor VIII levels became normal 2-35weeks after 4 or 8 weekly doses of rituximab, brief courses of prednisone and in one patient immunoglobulin. Complete responses are ongoing at 10 months in two patients. Two patients relapsed: a patient whose initial inhibitor titre was 525 BU relapsed at 3.5 months and a long-term prednisone-dependent patient at 8.5 months. Both responded to second courses of rituximab and prednisone and are in remission. Our experience suggests that rituximab is a safe and effective addition to immunosuppression with prednisone and cyclophosphamide to treat autoimmune haemophilia, and may permit early discontinuation or even avoidance of these potentially toxic agents. High-titre inhibitor patients, however, may require multiple courses of rituximab or the addition of cyclophosphamide. Pending randomized studies, we propose an algorithm based on our experience and other reports for incorporating rituximab in the treatment of this rare disorder.

Selective B-cell depletion with rituximab for the treatment of patients with acquired hemophilia

The activity and safety profile of selective B-cell depletion with rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, were evaluated in 10 patients with acquired hemophilia. Rituximab was given intravenously at the dose of 375 mg/m(2) once weekly for 4 consecutive weeks. Infusion-related side effects were observed in 3 patients but were of mild intensity and did not require discontinuation of treatment. Eight patients with Factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitor titers between 4 and 96 Bethesda units per milliliter (BU/mL) achieved a complete remission, which was defined as a return to normal FVIII activity and undetectable FVIII inhibitor titers. Two more patients with inhibitor levels greater than 100 BU/mL experienced only a partial transient decrease of the inhibitor after rituximab alone, but they achieved a complete response after being challenged with a combination of rituximab plus pulse intravenous cyclophosphamide. With a median follow-up of 28.5 months (range, 12-41 months), 3 patients have thus far relapsed. Retreatment with the monoclonal antibody at the same dose and schedule resulted in a new sustained response in all these patients. In conclusion, rituximab appears an effective and well-tolerated treatment for patients with acquired hemophilia and low inhibitor titers. A reinforcement of therapy with other agents seems to be required to achieve a full and durable response in those patients with high inhibitor levels.