KGMU, World Haemophilia Federation join hands to treat resistant patients

LUCKNOW: Patients of haemophilia, who develop resistance to available treatment, have a better chance at KGMU. The University’s Haemophilia Comprehensive Care Centre is set to roll out immune tolerance therapy (ITT) for them from next week
Haemophilia is a congenital blood disorder in which the blood of the patient doesn’t coagulate. As a result, the patient can bleed to death. The only way to save a patient’s life is to administer a drug called anti-haemophilia factor or just factors in common lingo.
Depending on the condition, haemophiliacs need factor 8 or 9. Of the two, factor 8 is the most commonly needed AHF. About 20% of patients needs factor 9. The requirement of a patient needing factor 9 is twice the average used by a patient needing factor 8.
As patients grow up, they develop antibodies to factors 8 or 9 making them less effective. Thus, to achieve effective coagulation, patients need administration of a bypassing agent called factor 7. This is followed by ITT which involves aggressive use of factors 8 or 9 for along time (say trice a week for six months). The extensive use of factor for a large duration makes it a costly affair.
In the present arrangement, KGMU HCCC provides factors patients in need. However, the protocol entitles help only in case of emergency which means that factors are given only to stop bleeding. “While the provision caters to the need to over 90% of all haemophila patients, the remaining 8-10% who need factor-7 and ITT are administered factor 7 only as an emergency help. The subsequent expensive ITT is not extended to them.,” explained Prof AK Tripathi, head of clinical immunology department, KGMU which runs the HCCC.
He added that the expensive ITT facility will be given free to all patients in need with the support of World Haemophilia Federation (WHF). Headed by president Vikas Goel, a team from WHF recently inspected the KGMU facility recently for the purpose. “While the WHF has agreed to provide ITT to patients in need, we also look forward to academic programmes with them,” he said.