Intensive Replacement Treatment in Haemophilia Patients With Synovitis

Joint haemorrhage represents the most common type of bleeding episode in persons with hemophilia (PwH) and recurrent hemarthrosis triggers chronic arthropathy, which is the most frequent chronic complication in hemophilia patients. In the absence of an adequate prophylaxis (age at start, regimen, duration, adherence) with Factor VIII (for hemophilia A) or FIX (for hemophilia B) concentrates, up to 85% of patients with severe hemophilia develop a clinically overt joint disease.

On the other hand, some recent data suggest that, despite adequate prophylaxis a not negligible percentage of PwH develop arthropathy.

Thus, an adequate screening of early signs of arthropathy is needed. On this hand, synovitis is widely considered as one of the parameters to be taken into account for the diagnosis and the surveillance of joint impairment in PwH. Synovitis represents a key feature, potentially related to under-treatment due to insufficient therapy regimens or to a limited compliance to treatment, to pharmacokinetics variability or to demanding daily/sport activities. Accordingly, there is a general agreement on the indication to consider the presence of synovitis as a marker of disease activity in PwH.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Among patients referred to enrolling Haemophilia Centres (to be defined), consecutive patients with severe (FVIII \< 1%) or severe-moderate (FVIII \< 2%) haemophilia A without inhibitors will be enrolled according to the above reported inclusion and exclusion criteria. For each subject, a trained staff will record demographic data including age, race, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI, kg/m2). Information from medical records will also include the number of bleeding episodes and the amount of factor concentrate used during the previous 12 months for regular prophylaxis and for breakthrough bleeding episodes treatment. The present study will be organized in 2 phases.

Phase 1 (US screening): All patients will undergo an ultrasound examination of elbows, ankles and knees to define joint status and to define presence/absence of synovitis according to the HEAD-US system. Synovitis screening protocol will include examination of the olecranon recess (elbow), suprapatellar recess (knee) and anterior recess of the tibiotalar joint (ankle). For a detailed scanning protocol see Figure 1. Synovitis will be scored as absent/minimal (score 0); mild/moderate (score 1) and severe (score 2).

Phase 2 (Intervention): Patients with US evidence of synovitis will be randomly assigned at undergoing a PK assessment with WAPPS-Hemo to start a prophylaxis with any EHL-FVIII targeting a 12% FVIII through level (PROPEL-like arm) or to continue ongoing standard treatment (control arm). US examination of the six joints will be repeated monthly for six months and in case of onset of symptoms that might suggest an acute bleeding episode. For both treatment arms changes in synovitis status, the number of bleeding episodes, number of infusions and FVIII consumption will be recorded. In case of confirmed hemarthrosis an intensive treatment will be started with the ongoing treatment according to current guidelines . During the intensive treatment period, the US assessment of the affected joint will be repeated every 7 days. The intensive replacement treatment will be stopped when US will demonstrate complete resolution of intra-articular bleeding. The time to pain disappearance, the time to US evidence of bleeding resolution and the number and doses infused will be recorded for each treatment arm. Any change in prophylaxis schedule will be recorded in both treatment arms during the overall study period, and will not represent an exclusion criterion from the study.