Haemophilia treatment: replacement therapy
Replacement therapy is the mainstay of haemophilia treatment and involves the intravenous (into the vein) administration or infusion of blood plasma or recombinant concentrates to replace the missing or defective clotting factor.
Products used to treat haemophilia at the time of writing include the following.
Factor VIII or AHF concentrate (plasma derived): This is a freeze-dried white powder containing the factor VIII protein, and von Willebrand factor, produced from fresh frozen plasma from all Australian states. The separation of the plasma into its many constituents, by a process called fractionation, is a complex and expensive procedure. This product is used to treat haemophilia A and von Willebrand’s disease.
The factor VIII concentrate, contained in small glass bottles, can be stored in a normal refrigerator at 4 degrees C for many months and is reconstituted (dissolved) with sterile water immediately before use. Each bottle contains 250 units of factor VIII and is administered into a vein by injection. The number of bottles required for a particular bleed depends upon the person’s weight and the site of bleeding.
If on home treatment or using a travel kit, factor VIII expiry dates should be checked, with all unused factor VIII to be returned 2 months before expiry. All details must be recorded on the home treatment record sheets.
- Recombinant factor VIII: This is made from cells which have been modified so that they produce factor VIII rather than from human plasma. The product is purer than the plasma derived factor VIII currently available in this country. Very stringent precautions have been taken to ensure that it is free from viruses. It is used in the same way and in the same dosage as the plasma derived factor VIII.
Last Reviewed: 24 May 2007
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