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Immune tolerance induction in the era of emicizumab – still the first choice for patients with haemophilia A and inhibitors?

Holstein, Katharina ; Le Quellec, Sandra ; Klamroth, Robert ; Batorova, Angelika ; Holme, Pål Andre ; Jiménez-Yuste, Victor and Astermark, Jan LU (2022) In Haemophilia 28(2). p.215-222
Abstract

Introduction: The development of inhibitory antibodies is a severe complication of clotting factor replacement therapy in patients with severe haemophilia A (HA). Current World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) guidelines for haemophilia care indicate that eradication of inhibitors is best achieved through immune tolerance induction (ITI) therapy. Aim: The European Collaborative Haemophilia Network conducted a survey to determine whether ITI is still used in the routine management of patients with HA, and whether the availability of emicizumab prophylaxis has influenced treatment decisions. Methods: The survey was conducted in late 2020/early 2021 in 18 centres representing 17 countries in the Europe/Middle East region treating a total of... (More)

Introduction: The development of inhibitory antibodies is a severe complication of clotting factor replacement therapy in patients with severe haemophilia A (HA). Current World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) guidelines for haemophilia care indicate that eradication of inhibitors is best achieved through immune tolerance induction (ITI) therapy. Aim: The European Collaborative Haemophilia Network conducted a survey to determine whether ITI is still used in the routine management of patients with HA, and whether the availability of emicizumab prophylaxis has influenced treatment decisions. Methods: The survey was conducted in late 2020/early 2021 in 18 centres representing 17 countries in the Europe/Middle East region treating a total of 4955 patients, and included sections specific to patient and centre demographics, treatment protocols (both ITI and prophylactic), inhibitor development and initiation of ITI, treatment success, and the incidence of adverse events. Results: While our results indicate that ITI can still be considered a mainstay of treatment for patients with HA with inhibitors, less than daily dosing of ITI in combination with emicizumab prophylaxis is becoming commonplace across the spectrum of disease severity, with initiation being guided by bleeding patterns. The most frequently cited reasons for not initiating emicizumab prophylaxis were availability or reimbursement issues. Conclusion: ITI remains a mainstay for haemophilia treatment of patients with HA with inhibitors, but emicizumab has become a preferred first-line approach to protect against bleeds and represents an alternative to burdensome ITI in certain patient groups.

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author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
emicizumab, factor VIII, haemophilia A, immune tolerance induction, inhibitors, prophylaxis
in
Haemophilia
volume
28
issue
2
pages
215 - 222
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • scopus:85121381952
  • pmid:34918839
ISSN
1351-8216
DOI
10.1111/hae.14470
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
36592400-76c9-4fb2-a03e-6037ed489a15
date added to LUP
2022-01-31 12:02:54
date last changed
2024-06-16 00:51:28
@article{36592400-76c9-4fb2-a03e-6037ed489a15,
  abstract     = {{<p>Introduction: The development of inhibitory antibodies is a severe complication of clotting factor replacement therapy in patients with severe haemophilia A (HA). Current World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) guidelines for haemophilia care indicate that eradication of inhibitors is best achieved through immune tolerance induction (ITI) therapy. Aim: The European Collaborative Haemophilia Network conducted a survey to determine whether ITI is still used in the routine management of patients with HA, and whether the availability of emicizumab prophylaxis has influenced treatment decisions. Methods: The survey was conducted in late 2020/early 2021 in 18 centres representing 17 countries in the Europe/Middle East region treating a total of 4955 patients, and included sections specific to patient and centre demographics, treatment protocols (both ITI and prophylactic), inhibitor development and initiation of ITI, treatment success, and the incidence of adverse events. Results: While our results indicate that ITI can still be considered a mainstay of treatment for patients with HA with inhibitors, less than daily dosing of ITI in combination with emicizumab prophylaxis is becoming commonplace across the spectrum of disease severity, with initiation being guided by bleeding patterns. The most frequently cited reasons for not initiating emicizumab prophylaxis were availability or reimbursement issues. Conclusion: ITI remains a mainstay for haemophilia treatment of patients with HA with inhibitors, but emicizumab has become a preferred first-line approach to protect against bleeds and represents an alternative to burdensome ITI in certain patient groups.</p>}},
  author       = {{Holstein, Katharina and Le Quellec, Sandra and Klamroth, Robert and Batorova, Angelika and Holme, Pål Andre and Jiménez-Yuste, Victor and Astermark, Jan}},
  issn         = {{1351-8216}},
  keywords     = {{emicizumab; factor VIII; haemophilia A; immune tolerance induction; inhibitors; prophylaxis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{215--222}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Haemophilia}},
  title        = {{Immune tolerance induction in the era of emicizumab – still the first choice for patients with haemophilia A and inhibitors?}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hae.14470}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/hae.14470}},
  volume       = {{28}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}