Successful treatment of a non-haemophilic patient with inhibitor to factor VIII by double-filtration plasmapheresis

Abstract

Factor VIII (FVIII) inhibitors appear in 3-20% of haemophilia A patients after injection of FVIII concentrates. However, autoantibodies to FVIII are also reported in non-haemophiliacs. In these patients FVIII inhibitor disappears spontaneously or diminishes in response to immunosuppressive therapy. However, a few patients show resistance to immunosuppressive therapy. We describe a non-haemophilic elderly patient with acquired FVIII inhibitor who failed to respond to prednisolone. He was treated with double-filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) which resulted in a very rapid reduction in inhibitor levels and resolution of symptoms.