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Adjusted dose continuous infusion of factor VIII in patients with haemophilia A
Author(s) -
Martinowitz U.,
Schulman S.,
Gitel S.,
Horozowski H.,
Heim M.,
Taron D.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1992.tb06951.x
Subject(s) - medicine , continuous infusion , haemophilia , bolus (digestion) , interquartile range , haemophilia a , anesthesia , surgery , haemophilia b
Surgical interventions in patients suffering from haemophilia A require infusions of large doses of factor VIII (F VIII) concentrates. These are expensive and may pose a burden on the immune system, which is already compromised in many haemophiliacs. F VIII is usually given as bolus injections, although there are reports on fixed dose continuous infusion. We have developed a continuous infusion programme with dosage adjusted according to daily calculation of the clearance of F VIII. Twenty‐four haemophiliacs received a total of 205 d of continuous infusion with F VIII (168 d in hospital, 37 d home therapy). Eighteen patients underwent surgeries (11 elective, seven emergency) and six were treated for serious haemor rhages. We observed a significant, progressive decrease of the clearance of F VIII over the first 5 d from 3.2 (2.8–3.5) to 1.7 (1.3–1.9) ml/kg/h (median and interquartile range). The decrease of the clearance together with the fact that a continuous infusion requires less drug than bolus injections to keep the same minimal concentration, contributed to much lower doses of F VIII than reported in the literature or than required by historical controls, matched for the type of operation. Other advantages of our method are improved safety with stable activities of F VIII, lack of hazardous troughs below the haemostatic range, and the convenience, which permits ambulant therapy even when high doses of F VIII are required.