The treatment of classical hemophilia with cryoprecipitates. Laboratory control with readily available tests

Abstract

Four patients with classical hemophilia of various degrees of severity, and with various clinical manifestations, received factor VIII (antihemophilic globulin) concentrates prepared by the cryoprecipitate technique of Pool and Shannon. All four responded well to therapy. One required laparotomy for bleeding peptic ulcer in a Meckel's diverticulum. One developed an inhibitor of factor VIII, but responded well to increased doses of the concentrate. The activated coagulation time (ACT) of whole blood and the activated partial thromboplastin time (PTT), performed on preinfusion and postinfusion blood specimens, served well as monitors of treatment, indicating activity of the material infused and response of the patient.