[Remission of a non-haemophilic patient with acquired factor VIII inhibitor treated with infusion of factor VIII and corticosteroid].

A 61-years old woman who had been healthy without history of abnormal bleeding, developed widely spread ecchymosis and intramuscular bleeding in March, 1987. She was hospitalized for this hemorrhagic diathesis in May, 1987 and the following laboratory data were revealed: activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), 76.7 seconds; factor VIII procoagulant activity, 2%; factor VIII inhibitor, 27 Bethesda units/ml. The inhibitor was an immunoglobulin of IgG type. Her clinical data of the blood were normal, and tests for antibodies, such as RA test, LE test and thyroid test were negative. Physical examination revealed ecchymosis over her right arm and swelling and pain in the right arm. She was first treated with a large dose of factor VIII concentrates, but the effect was insufficient. Then prednisolone was given, which resulted in decreasing of the inhibitor and improvement of the coagulation profiles. This treatment appeared to offer effective control on severe hemorrhage in patients with factor VIII inhibitors.