Marumo A, Sugihara H, Omori I, Morishita E. Relapse of Acquired Hemophilia A after COVID-19 Infection.
J NIPPON MED SCH 2024;
90:474-479. [PMID:
36823120 DOI:
10.1272/jnms.jnms.2023_90-609]
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Abstract
Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) is a rare disease in which an autoantibody causes bleeding by interacting with and inhibiting the coagulation activity of endogenous factor VIII (FVIII). Most cases of AHA are idiopathic; known causes include autoimmune diseases, malignant tumors, pregnancy, drugs, and viral infections. An 86-year-old man was diagnosed with AHA based on the following results: an activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) extension of 130.7 seconds, presence of an inhibitor pattern in a mixing study, an endogenous factor VIII (FVIII) level of <1%, and an FVIII inhibitor titer of >5.1 Bethesda units (BU). The activity of von Willebrand factor (vWF) was diminished (<10%), which was considered a complication of acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AVWS). The patient was started on prednisolone, and the inhibitor level eventually became negative. vWF values also became normal. However, 1 year later, he was hospitalized for treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Blood testing showed an aPTT extension of 110.5 seconds, FVIII level of 4%, and FVIII inhibitor titer of 0.8 BU; thus, a relapse of AHA was diagnosed. After administration of corticosteroid and remdesivir, he recovered from COVID-19 and AHA. The inhibitor level became negative on the 9th day of admission. Several studies have implicated COVID-19 infection and vaccination in AHA. We recommend that aPTT be measured when patients with AHA are infected with SARS-CoV2, to confirm AHA relapse.
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