Treatment of Hemophilia with Factor VIII Concentrates

Abstract

THE treatment of hemorrhagic episodes in hemophilic patients requires administration of the coagulation protein that is deficient — namely, antihemophilic globulin (factor VIII), derived from the plasma of normal blood donors. Recently, two concentrated preparations of factor VIII have become increasingly available,^{1 , 2} and their clinical effectiveness has been confirmed.^{3 4 5 6} Our purpose is to review the characteristics of these preparations and to describe the changes in our management of hemophilic patients resulting from the availability of one of these concentrates during the past two years.The treatment of hemophilia until very recently was dependent almost entirely upon fresh-frozen and lyophilized plasma. . . .