Prevalence of inhibitors and clinical characteristics in patients with haemophilia in a middle-income Latin American country

Abstract

Introduction Development of inhibitors is the most serious complication in patients with haemophilia (PWH). The prevalence of inhibitors in patients with severe haemophilia A (HA) is approximately 25%-30%. Inhibitor prevalence differs among populations. Some studies report a prevalence of almost twice in Hispanic as compared to Caucasian patients. Most data available, on the prevalence of inhibitors and their predisposing factors, originate from centres in developed countries. Aim Establish the prevalence of inhibitors of FVIII and FIX in Mexico. Methods This was an observational, cross-sectional and descriptive study. The records of all patients diagnosed with haemophilia A (HA) or B (HB), with and without inhibitors, were included. Clinical and demographical characteristics of patients with inhibitors were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS version 22. The Ethics Committees of the various participating institutions approved this study. Results A total of 1455 patients from the 20 participating centres were recruited, from which 1208 (83.02%) had HA and 247 (16.97%) were diagnosed with HB. The presence of inhibitors in severe HA was reported in 93/777(11.96%), and 10/162 (6.17%) in severe HB. Of them, 91.7% exhibited high titres in HA and 100% in HB. Conclusion In Mexico, the general prevalence of inhibitors varies considerably among centres. This study established a basis of comparison for future development and advances in the treatment and follow-up of patients. These findings also augment our understanding of risk factors related to inhibitor development.