Laboratory, clinical and therapeutic aspects of acquired hemophilia A

Acquired hemophilia A is a rare bleeding diathesis caused by autoantibodies directed against clotting factor VIII and associated with an increased morbidity and mortality. This disease occurs most commonly in the elderly, and although it may be associated with a variety of underlying pathological conditions, up to 50% of reported cases remain idiopathic. In this review, we report the present knowledge on the most important laboratory, diagnostic and clinical aspects of acquired hemophilia A. Moreover, we focus on the most recent advances in the treatment of this disorder, which is primarily aimed to control bleeding episodes and to eradicate the autoantibody production. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.