Prospective audit of patients with haemophilia: Bleeding episodes and management

  1. Matthew Alexander1,
  2. Chris Barnes2,
  3. Peter Barnett3,*

Article first published online: 12 MAY 2011

DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2011.02064.x

Issue

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health

Volume 48, Issue 2, pages 177–179, February 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Alexander, M., Barnes, C. and Barnett, P. (2012), Prospective audit of patients with haemophilia: Bleeding episodes and management. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health, 48: 177–179. doi: 10.1111/j.1440-1754.2011.02064.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Orthopaedics, Austin Hospital

  2. 2

    Henry Ekert Haemophilia Treatment Centre

  3. 3

    Emergency Department, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

*Dr Peter Barnett, Deputy Director, Emergency Department, Royal Children's Hospital, Flemington Road, Parkville, Vic. 3052, Australia. Fax +61 3 9345 5938; email: peter.barnett@rch.org.au

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 9 FEB 2012
  2. Article first published online: 12 MAY 2011
  3. Accepted for publication 9 December 2010.

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Keywords:

  • clinical audit;
  • disease management;
  • haemophilia A;
  • haemophilia B

Background:  Haemophilia is a congenital bleeding disorder that requires replacement of factor VIII (haemophilia A) or factor IX (haemophilia B) via intravenous infusions. Children can either be treated with prophylactic treatment to prevent bleeding or be managed with on-demand therapy and treat specific bleeding episodes.

Aims:  The aim of this paper was to prospectively follow a cohort of haemophilia patients to determine the incidence of bleeding, re-bleeding, re-treatment and adjunct management over a period of 5 months.

Methods:  Sixty-six boys with haemophilia were followed. Age range was 10 months to 19 years; 70% of patients had severe haemophilia and 38 (58%) of all patients were on prophylaxis.

Results:  Twenty-nine patients experienced at least one episode of bleeding during study period which included 70 home bleeding episodes and 20 emergency department (ED) presentations. Secondary treatments occurred in 38% of all bleeding episodes. The incidence of re-bleeds occurring within 3 weeks of the initial bleeding episode was 11%.

Conclusions:  Further study focusing on optimising treatment regimes for patients with haemophilia presenting with bleeding episodes is necessary.

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