Danazol increases factor VIII and factor IX in classic hemophilia and Christmas disease

Abstract

We gave danazol (600 mg per day orally for 14 days), an attenuated androgen, to four adults with classic hemophilia and one adult with Christmas disease. The levels of factor VIII in the patients with classic hemophilia ranged from 1 to 3 per cent before treatment and rose to 3 to 8 per cent during the treatment period. The level of factor IX in the patient with Christmas disease rose from 5 to 14 per cent. The rise in clotting-factor activity was usually observed within five to six days after the initiation of therapy and peaked between 7 and 13 days. The drug had no untoward effects. During the 70 patient-days of therapy, only two patients required plasma products, each on one occasion. These data suggest that danazol therapy may decrease the hemorrhagic tendency and reduce the need for transfusions of plasma products in classic hemophilia and Christmas disease. Controlled clinical trials will be required to establish its value in these applications.