Low-dose immune tolerance induction for paediatric haemophilia patients with factor VIII inhibitors

Haemophilia. 2008 Mar;14(2):315-22. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2516.2007.01621.x. Epub 2007 Dec 10.

Abstract

The development of an inhibitor against factor VIII (FVIII) is a serious complication in children with haemophilia A. Immune tolerance induction (ITI) therapy is generally considered to be the best approach to eradicate the inhibitor. In this paper, the low-dose (< or =50 IU kg(-1) twice or three times weekly with plasma-derived factor concentrates) ITI regimen used in Turkey is discussed. This regimen was given to 21 haemophilia A patients with high titer inhibitors. The median age at the beginning of ITI was 9 years and exposure days were 25. The median pre-ITI historical peak inhibitor titer, and inhibitor titer when ITI started were 80 BU (range 6.0-517), 19.2 BU (range 3.6-515), respectively. Complete immune tolerance was defined as the time at which at least two negative inhibitor assays was obtained with no anamnestic response. Our two cases were not reached in follow-up period. Immune tolerance could be achieved in 5 of 19 (26.3%) patients within a median time of 6 months. Partial tolerance was obtained in 7 patients while treatment failed in spite of significant decreased inhibitor levels in the other patients. A relapse developed in one immune-tolerized patient, one year later. The level of inhibitor titer at the beginning of ITI (< or =10 BU), the pre-ITI historical peak inhibitor titer (<50 BU), and the time between the first diagnosis inhibitor to starting ITI (<12 months) were main factors in the success (complete or partial tolerance) of ITI. In conclusion, the outcome of low-dose ITI protocol was not satisfactory in this retrospective study.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Autoantibodies / blood
  • Autoantibodies / immunology*
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Factor VIII / administration & dosage*
  • Factor VIII / immunology
  • Factor VIII / therapeutic use
  • Hemophilia A / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immune Tolerance*
  • Infant
  • Recurrence
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Turkey

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Factor VIII