Immunoadsorption for coagulation factor inhibitors: a retrospective critical appraisal of 10 consecutive cases from a single institution.

Immunoadsorption is occasionally used as an adjuvant measure in the treatment of subjects with coagulation factor inhibitors. We reviewed our recent 3-year period experience with this procedure in 10 subjects. Immunoadsorption was used in the context of an immune tolerance protocol for 3 subjects with severe congenital deficiency in factor VIII, IX, and XIII; it was effective in lowering the level of inhibitor but immune tolerance was not achieved. It allowed successful use of porcine factor VIII in 4 cases of acquired hemophilia and in one case of inhibitor in mild hemophilia A. This therapeutic approach seems to be more useful in acquired hemophilia than in severe congenital factor deficiencies with inhibitors.