It is well known that teenagers with chronic diseases have problems complying with their treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the patient's knowledge of haemophilia and his compliance to prophylactic treatment, and the age at which the patient took over the responsibility for his disease and to create educational material for teenagers and adolescents. This was a prospective multicentre study performed in Hemophilia Treatment Centres in Scandinavia. A total of 108 of 134 patients, between 13 and 25 years completed the questionnaire, a response rate of 80%. Eighty-three patients had a severe form of haemophilia, 24 patients in moderate form and one patient did not know the severity of his disease. Seventy-eight patients were on prophylactic treatment. The median age for starting prophylactic treatment was 3.0 years and the median age for the patient performing venepuncture was 11.6 years. Sixty-seven of 78 patients knew that the best time to give prophylactic treatment was in the morning. Even though the patients were on prophylactic treatment, 47 of 78 patients took additional treatment before sports activities. At a mean age of 14.1 years the patient himself had the responsibility for his disease and treatment. In the cohort of 108 patients, 73 were aware of their haemophilia heredity. This study shows a rather high degree of knowledge of haemophilia and compliance with treatment among the patients but it is of great importance for the nurse to continuously improve the patient's compliance and keep him aware of the benefit of regular treatment for his future well being.

Assay discrepancy in mild haemophilia, here defined by a significantly higher factor VIII (FVIII):C response by the one-stage procoagulant assay as compared with a two-stage enzymatic method, has repeatedly been reported in literature. The purpose of this study was to determine the overall prevalence of this phenomenon amongst mild haemophilia families from a population of 2.95 million inhabitants in the Western Danish region. Information was collected retrospectively through a thorough search of archives of the National Haemophilia Centre in Aarhus. We identified 109 patients with mild haemophilia A amongst whom 92 were eligible to enter the study. These represent a total of 53 unrelated families. Our data illustrate that this assay discrepancy pattern is found quite frequently amongst our mild haemophilia A families. While the ratio of FVIII:C chromogenic/FVIII:C clot values was quite consistent amongst patients belonging to same family pattern, ratios in the entire cohort of families ranged from 0.18 to 1.00. Selecting a cut-off level for the FVIII:C chromogenic/FVIII:C clot ratios at 0.7, 0.6 and 0.5, respectively, we found that 38 (72%), 27 (51%) and 19 (36%) of families, respectively, displayed this assay discrepancy. In 10 patients, the FVIII:C chromogenic level was inside the category of moderate haemophilia at >0.01-<0.05 IU mL(-1), pointing to a class-shift in the biochemical phenotype. In conclusion, our data illustrate a substantial prevalence of the assay discrepancy phenomenon amongst mild haemophilia A patients in our geographical area.

Significant advances have been achieved in prevention of haemophilic disability through prophylactic administration of concentrates and early administration of coagulation factors to control new bleeding episodes, but there is only limited experience with home treatment in haemophilia patients with inhibitors. A home treatment programme using recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa; NovoSeven®, Novo Nordisk, Bagsværd, Denmark) in early intervention against minor bleeds in patients with high responding inhibitors was initiated in Denmark in June 1994. Following careful education and instruction, 2–3 doses each giving 90–100 μg/kg bodyweight of rFVIIa were stored in each patient's home. At the onset of a new bleeding episode patients were instructed to inject 1 dose of rFVIIa, and to call the Haemophilia Centre to discuss further management of the episode. If the drug was not completely effective after 1–2 h, a second dose was injected after 3 h. Patients were further instructed to contact us the following day for final efficacy reporting. In total, 7 patients have been enrolled into the study, and to date 114 bleeding episodes have been managed at home with a mean of 2.1 doses per bleed. On 4 occasions, recurrence of bleeding was noted within 24 h. Hospital admission was required in 9 cases, because of a serious injury, insufficient compliance or, in 2 cases, because bleeding required prolonged treatment. Management of these bleeding episodes required a mean of 18 doses. We propose and discuss key criteria for selection of patients for a home treatment programme. The results of this study demonstrate that early intervention in the home setting with rFVIIa is safe and effective in the management of minor bleeding episodes in haemophilia patients with inhibitors.

IntroductionPeople with haemophilia (PwH) experience recurrent bleeds in weight-bearing joints. Optimal management for people with severe haemophilia involves prophylaxis with factor VIII or IX, which helps to reduce the risk of bleeds and joint damage. However, this is expensive and frequently not an option in economically developing countries, where on-demand treatment is more commonly used as bleeding occurs. PwH with moderate and mild haemophilia are also treated on demand. Pain from bleeds and arthropathy is common in PwH; it is recognised as a burden that impairs quality of life and can be challenging to manage.AimsThis study aims to establish greater understanding of the experience of pain in PwH in different countries, the factors that influence this, and how pain is currently managed.MethodsPwH attending haemophilia treatment centres (HTCs) completed an anonymous questionnaire about their experience of pain and pain-relief within the previous 28 days (up to 10 PwH per participating HTC).Results209 PwH from 20 HTCs in 11 countries participated in the study. The median age was 36 (range 8–84); 181 (86.6%) had haemophilia A, 25 (12.0%) haemophilia B, and three (1.4%) did not know; 148 (70.8%) had severe haemophilia, 28 (13.4%) moderate, and 31 (14.8%) mild. Twenty-eight (13.4%) had an inhibitor. The majority (n=121; 57.9%) were on prophylaxis; 61 (29.2%) were treated on demand; 20 (9.6%) used a combination; 7 (3.3%) did not know. 154 PwH (73.9%) experienced a total of 1,945 days of pain with severity on a visual analogue scale reported as 4.5. The most commonly reported sites of pain were joints and muscles. There was no significant difference in pain incidence between countries. Children aged less than 16 years reported the lowest amount of pain, with reported pain increasing with age in older respondents. Simple analgesia such as paracetamol was used but participants reported that it did not relieve pain. Alternative pain-relief strategies including rest, physiotherapy, walking aids, alcohol or marijuana were also used with varying effect.ConclusionsPain is common among PwH and increases with age. Age and developmentally appropriate pain assessment should be a part of routine haemophilia care.

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