Semin Thromb Hemost 2002; 28(S1): 063-074
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-30198
Copyright © 2002 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA. Tel.: +1(212) 584-4662

Sixteen Years of Treatment with Pasteurized Human Clotting Factor Concentrates in Children and Adolescents: A Pharmacosurveillance Investigation Comprising 727 Patient Years

Wolfgang Muntean1, 2 , Werner Zenz1, 2 , Jutta Falger3 , Christoph Male3 , Werner Streif4 , Johann Wank5 , Rudolf Schwarz6 , Klaus Schmitt6 , Peter Kurnik7 , Karl Zwiauer8
  • 1Department of Pediatrics, University of Graz, Austria
  • 2Ludwig Bolzmann Research Institute for Pediatric Hemostasis and Thrombosis, Graz, Austria
  • 3Department of Pediatrics, University of Vienna, Austria
  • 4Department of Pediatrics, University of Innsbruck, Austria
  • 5St. Anna Children Hospital, Vienna, Austria
  • 6Children Hospital, Linz, Austria
  • 7Children Hospital, Klagenfurt, Austria
  • 8Children Hospital, St. Pölten, Austria
Weitere Informationen

Publikationsverlauf

Publikationsdatum:
17. Mai 2002 (online)

The main criteria for the quality of a clotting factor concentrate for treatment of congenital deficient patients are viral safety and low incidence of the development of inhibitors. Since the discovery of HIV, the viral safety of products has especially been dramatically improved, with the introduction of viral inactivation procedures. Many prospective studies show that plasma-derived products now can be regarded as safe in regard to HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). On the other hand, not all viruses are inactivated by all methods, as is demonstrated, for example, by the transmission of human parvovirus B19 by plasma-derived concentrates virus inactivated by various methods and even by recombinant products.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10]

Incidence of inhibitors is reported with very different frequencies in different studies; in many studies, the number of patients is not large enough to allow definite conclusions about differences among studies. Whether the incidence is the same with plasma-derived and recombinant factor (F) VIII:C is not completely clear at this time; large differences have been reported even between plasma-derived products produced by similar methods.[11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20]

Although acute allergic reactions pose no major problem in the use of clotting factor concentrates, with the close observation of patients triggered by the AIDS epidemic it became apparent that immunologic alterations can be found not only in patients infected with HIV or HBV and HCV but also in patients without infection but regular treatment with clotting factor concentrates.[21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30]

Relatively small prospective trials of limited duration may not detect all possible rare side effects of a specific product. In addition, such trials cannot detect failures that may occur for a short period of time in the manufacturing process; a few such incidences have been reported in the past.[1] [2] [3]

For all the reasons just mentioned, it is important to closely monitor side effects of treatment with clotting factor concentrates to allow a quick response when known or possibly new side effects are recognized. Such pharmacosurveillance investigations also may add to our understanding of the development of inhibitors and immunologic alterations and serve as a base to compare with results of studies with new products. We report the results of a pharmacosurveilance investigation about pasteurized plasma-derived clotting factor concentrates comprising 727 patient years over a treatment period of up to 16 years in children and adolescents with congenital clotting factor deficiencies.

REFERENCES

  • 1 Mannucci P M. Modern treatment of hemophilia: from the shadows towards the light.  Thromb Haemost . 1993;  70 17-23
  • 2 Teitel J M. Safety of coagulation factor concentrates.  Haemophilia . 1998;  4 393-401
  • 3 Ludlam CA.Viral safety of plasma-derived factor VIII und IX concentrates. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis .  1997;  8 19-23
  • 4 Schimpf K, Brackmann H H, Kreuz W. Absence of antihuman immunodeficiency virus types I and II seroconversion after the treatment of haemophilia A or von Willebrand disease with pasteurized factor VIII concentrate N Engl J Med .  1989;  321 1148-1151
  • 5 Mannucci P M, Schimpf K, Brettler D B. Low risk for hepatitis C in hemophiliacs given a high-purity, pasteurized factor VIII concentrate.  Ann Intern Med . 1990;  113 27-32
  • 6 Zenz W, Hoffmann H, Muntean W. Hepatitis C-Antikörper bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit angeborenen Gerinnungsstörungen.  Wien Klin Wochenschr . 1991;  3 69-72
  • 7 Zakrzewska K, Azzi A, Patou G. Human parvovirus B 19 in clotting factor concentrates: B 19 DNA detection by the nested polymerase chain reaction.  Br J Haematol . 1992;  81 407-412
  • 8 Azzi A, Ciappi S, Zakvrzewska K. Human parvovirus B19 infection in hemophiliacs first transfused with two high-purity, virally attenuated factor VIII concentrates.  Am J Hematol . 1992;  39 228-230
  • 9 Eis-Hübinger A M, Sasowski U, Brackmann H H. Parvovirus B19 is frequently present in recombinant coagulation factor VIII products.  Thromb Haemost (Letter) . 1996;  76 1120
  • 10 Flores G, Juarez J C, Montoro J B. Seroprevalence of parvovirus B19, cytomegalovirus, hepatitis A virus and hepatitis E virus antibodies in hemophiliacs treated exclusively with clotting-factor concentrates considered safe against human immunodeficiency and hepatitis C viruses.  Hemophilia . 1995;  1 115-117
  • 11 Gilles J GG, Marc C, Saint-Remy J MR. Factor VIII inhibitors.  Thromb Haemost . 1997;  78 641-646
  • 12 Bray G L, Gomperts E, Courter S. A multicenter study of recombinant factor VIII (Recombinante): safety, efficacy, and inhibitor risk in previously untreated patients with hemophilia A.  Blood . 1994;  83 2428-2435
  • 13 Addiego J, Kasper C, Abildgaard C. Frequency of inhibitor development in haemophiliacs treated with low-purity factor VIII.  Lancet . 1993;  342 462-464
  • 14 De Brasi R, Rocino A, Papa M L. Incidence of factor VIII inhibitor development in hemopilia A patients treated with less pure plasma derived concentrates.  Thromb Haemost . 1994;  71 544-547
  • 15 Scharrer I, Neutzling O. Incidence of inhibitors in haemophiliacs. A review of the literature.  Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis . 1993;  4 753-758
  • 16 McMillan C W, Shapiro S S, Whitehurst D. The natural history of factor VIII inhibitors in patients with hemophilia A: a national cooperative study. II. Observations on the initial development of factor VIII:C inhibitors.  Blood . 1988;  71 344-348
  • 17 Peerlinck K, Arnout J, Gilles J G, Saint-Remy J M, Vermylen J. A higher than expected incidence of factor VIII inhibitors in multitransfused haemophilia A patients treated with an intermediate purity pasteurized factor VIII concentrate.  Thromb Haemost . 1993;  69 115-118
  • 18 Rosendaal F, Nieuwenhuis H K, van den Berg M H. A sudden increase in factor VIII inhibitor development in multitransfused hemophilia A patients in The Netherlands.  Blood . 1993;  81 2180-2186
  • 19 Lusher J M. Viral safety and inhibitor development associated with monoclonal antibody-purified FVIIIC.  Ann Hematol . 1991;  63 138-141
  • 20 Guerois C, Laurian Y, Rothschild C. Incidence of factor VIII inhibitor development in severe hemophilia A patients treated only with one brand of highly purified plasma-derived concentrate.  Thromb Haemost . 1995;  73 215-218
  • 21 Mannucci P M, Brettler D B, Aledort L M. Immune status of human immunodeficiency virus seropositive and seronegative hemophiliacs infused for 3.5 years with recombinant factor VIII.  Blood . 1994;  83 1958-1962
  • 22 Allersma D P, Smid W M, van der Does A J, van der Meer J, Briet E. Effects of chronic factor VIII substitution on immune parameters in HIV seronegative haemophiliacs: a comparison between cryoprecipitate and factor VIII concentrate.  Thromb Haemost . 1996;  75 261-266
  • 23 Shannon B T, Roach J, Cheek-Luten M, Orosz C, Ruymann F B. Progressive change in lymphocyte distribution and degree of hypergammaglobulinemia with age in children with hemophilia.  J Clin Immunol . 1986;  6 121-129
  • 24 Hassett J, Gjerset G F, Mosley J W. Effect on lymphocyte subsets of clotting factor therapy in human immunodeficiency virus-1-negative congenital clotting disorders.  Blood . 1993;  82 1351-1357
  • 25 Funk M, Ebener U, Kreuz W. Immune status of HIV and HCV negative haemophiliacs treated with intermediate-purity factor VIII concentrates.  Lancet . 1993;  342 933-934
  • 26 Varon D, Schulman S, Dardik R. High versus ultra-high purity factor VIII concentrate therapy: prospective evaluation of immunological and clinical parameters in HIV seronegative and seropositive hemophiliacs.  Thromb Haemost . 1994;  72 359-362
  • 27 Schulman S. Effects of factor VIII concentrates on the immune system in hemophilic patients.  Ann Hematol . 1991;  63 145-151
  • 28 Glöckel U, Gromball J, Kobatsch B. Influence of factor VIII, factor IX and immunoglobulin preparations on proliferative responses of mitogen-activated lymphocytes.  Immunol Infect . 1987;  15 62-65
  • 29 De Biasi R, Rocino A, Miraglia E, Mastruelle L, Quirino A A. The impact of a very high purity factor VIII concentrate on the immune system of human immunodeficiency virus-infected hemophiliacs: a randomized, prospective, two-year comparison with an intermediate purity concentrate.  Blood . 1991;  78 1919-1922
  • 30 Hilgartner M W, Buckley J D, Operskalski E A, Pike M C, Mosley J W. Transfusion Safety Study Group.  Purity of factor VIII concentrates and serial CD4 counts. Lancet . 1993;  341 1373-1374
  • 31 Kasper C K, Aledort L M, Aronson D. Proceedings: a more uniform measurement of factor VIII inhibitors.  Thrombosis et Diathesis Haemorrhagica (Abst) . 1975;  34 612
  • 32 Neumann K. The signal strengthening power of statistics: a demonstration of regression with unknown model domain in statistics and pharmacoeconomics.  Pharmacoepidemiol Drug Safety . 1997;  6 27-29
  • 33 Thomas L, ed. . Labor und Diagnose Marburg: Die Medizinische Verlagsgesellschaft; 1992
  • 34 Commans-Bitter W M, De Grool R, van den Beernd R. Immunophenotyping of blood lymphocytes in childhood. Reference values for lymphocyte subpopulations.  J Pediatr . 1997;  130 388-393
  • 35 Mannucci P M, Gdovin S, Gringeri A. Transmission of hepatitis A to patients with hemophilia by factor VIII concentrates treated with organic solvent and detergent to inactivate viruses. The Italian Collaborative Group.  Ann Intern Med . 1994;  120 1-7
  • 36 Prodinger W M, Larcher C, Solder B M, Geissler D, Dierich M P. Hepatitis A in western Austria, the epidemiological situation before the introduction of active immunisation.  Infection . 1994;  22 53-55
  • 37 Kerr J R. Parvovirus B19 infection.  Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis . 1996;  15 10-29
  • 38 Eis-Hubinger A M, Oldenburg J, Brackmann H H, Matz B, Schneweis K E. The prevalence of antibody to parvovirus B19 in hemophiliacs and in the general population.  Zentralbl Bakteriol . 1996;  284 232-240
  • 39 Santagostino E, Mannucci P M, Gringeri A. Transmission of parvovirus B19 by coagulation factor concentrates exposed to 100 degrees C heat after lyophilization.  Transfusion . 1997;  37 517-522
  • 40 Aygören-Pürsün E, Scharrer I, and the German Kogenate Study Group. A multicenter pharmacosurveillance study for the evaluation of the efficacy and safety of recombinant factor VIII in the treatment of patients with hemophilia A.  Thromb Haemost . 1997;  78 1352-1356
  • 41 Morfini M, Longo G, Rossi Ferrini P. Hypoplastic anemia in a hemophiliac first infused with a solvent/detergent treated factor VIII concentrate: the role of human B19 parvovirus.  Am J Hematol . 1992;  39 149-150
  • 42 Yee T T, Lee C A, Pasi K J. Life-threatening human parvovirus B19 infection in immunocompetent hemophilia.  Lancet . 1995;  345 794-795
  • 43 Briet E, Rosendaal F R, Kreuz W. High titer inhibitors in severe haemophilia A. A meta analysis based on eight long-term follow-up studies concerning inhibitors associated with crude or intermediate purity factor VIII products.  Thromb Haemost . 1994;  72 162-164
  • 44 Scandella D, Mondorf W, Klinge J. The natural history of the immune response to exogenous factor VIII in severe haemophilia A.  Haemophilia . 1998;  4 546-551
  • 45 Lechner K, Niessner H, Bettelheim P. T-cell alterations in hemophiliacs treated with commercial clotting factor concentrates.  Thromb Haemost . 1983;  50 552-556