Use of recombinant activated factor VII for treatment of a retropharyngeal hemorrhage in a hemophilic patient with a high titer inhibitor

Abstract

Treatment options during an acute hemorrhage for a hemophilic patient who has an inhibitor (antibody) to factor VIII (FVIII) are limited. If the inhibitor titer is high, even massive doses of FVIII are not sufficient to neutralize the antibody. Likewise, immunoadsorption techniques or plasmapheresis cannot remove enough antibody to permit treatment with FVIII. Allergic reactions and cross‐reacting inhibitors complicate therapy with porcine FVIII. Prothrombin complex concentrates (PCC) may be effective but the mechanism is unclear. The theory that activated factor VII (FVII_a) is the active principle in PCC prompted our treatment of a patient with a recombinant FVII_a (rFVII_a) product (NOVO Industries). The patient presented with a large retropharyngeal hemorrhage and an initial inhibitor titer of 129 Bethesda units (BU). Despite Autoplex therapy (100U/kg), tracheal compression by the hematoma increased and asphyxiation was imminent. RFVII_a therapy (60 μg/kg) was substituted for Autoplex and nine doses were given without complication. The hemorrhage was controlled. By 18 hr breathing was normal and swallowing and speech were greatly improved. Clinically, the patient dramatically responded to rFVII_a. In addition, the purity, the lack of known infectious agents, and the ease of administration make rFVII_a a potentially attractive new therapy. Use of this product also promises to further our understanding of in vivo hemostasis.