Projected estimation of factor VIII requirements for home treatment based on a pilot study of two haemophilic patients.

An extensive programme of home administration of factor VIII replacement therapy has been proposed for the haemophiliacs of the Edinburgh Area following the successful training of self-administration therapy in the Haemophilia Centre. A study of 1 moderate and 1 severe haemophiliac, whose factor VIII requirements for the year 1974 were compared with factor VIII usage for "on demand" out-patient therapy at the Centre in 1973, showed these quantities to be 14,380 as compared with 38,725 factor VIII units in the severely affected patient. From these figures, and, knowing that the average number of factor VIII units used per patient per years was 8,116 for the moderate and 11,592 for the severe haemophiliacs, it has been calculated that home treatment would require 6,000-10,000 factor VIII units per patient per year for the latter class. The advantages and hazards of home treatment are discussed and evaluated in the light of the two patients studied and the self-administration programme of therapy at present in operation.