A Three‐Year Study of Adolescent Boys Suffering from Haemophilia and Allied Disorders

Abstract

S ummary . Details concerning the frequency of bleeding in haemophilia, Christmas disease and von Willebrand's disease in adolescent boys are given. The results show that the frequency of bleeding remained constant throughout eight academic terms. There was no seasonal variation. Severity, as judged by frequency of bleeding, cannot be correlated entirely with factor‐VIII activity, there being evidence that there is some other factor in addition to factor VIII concerned with bleeding in haemophilia. Of 61 haemophilic boys treated, only one developed an inhibitor to factor VIII. A higher incidence of haematuria was observed among boys with factor‐VIII inhibitors. The advent of replacement therapy has increased the role of orthopaedic surgery. The requirements for the care of 50 boys suffering from serious coagulation defects are discussed, and indications for further research are suggested.