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Some people who have
hemophilia A develop antibodies to the injected
clotting factor. The body thinks that
the replacement clotting factors don't belong in the body, so it creates
the antibodies, also called inhibitors, to get rid of them.
Inhibitors may make it harder to treat bleeding episodes because the
body's natural defense system (immune system) interferes with the
function of replacement clotting factors.
people produce few inhibitors; others produce many.
If you have inhibitors, hemophilia treatment may require
specially engineered replacement clotting factors. Other treatment for clotting
factor inhibitors includes therapy to suppress the immune system
If you have a larger amount of inhibitors, you might be treated with:
If your body produces few inhibitors in reaction to clotting
you may be treated with clotting factor concentrate that is made in a lab (recombinant clotting factors). You might get large doses of the clotting factors, which can
overwhelm the inhibitors.
Other Works Consulted
Roberts HR, et al. (2010). Hemophilia A and hemophilia B. In K Kaushansky et al., eds., Williams Hematology, 8th ed., pp. 2009–2029. New York: McGraw-Hill.
ByHealthwise StaffPrimary Medical ReviewerE. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal MedicineSpecialist Medical ReviewerBrian Leber, MDCM, FRCPC - Hematology
Current as ofFebruary 20, 2015
Current as of:
February 20, 2015
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & Brian Leber, MDCM, FRCPC - Hematology
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