Hemophilia More Prevalent Than Previously Estimated
|
By HospiMedica International staff writers Posted on 01 Oct 2019 |
A new study reveals that over 1,125,000 men around the world have inherited hemophilia, three times more than previously estimated.
Researchers at McMaster University (Hamilton, ON, Canada), the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH; Montréal, Canada), and other institutions conducted a random-effects meta-analysis of registry data from Australia, Canada, France, Italy, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom in order to estimate the prevalence and prevalence at birth of male patients with hemophilia A or B in proportion to total male population, life expectancy disadvantage as related to prevalence at birth, and the expected number of patients worldwide.
The results revealed a prevalence of hemophilia A of 17.1 cases per 100,000 males for all severities of hemophilia, six cases for severe hemophilia A, 3.8 cases for all severities of hemophilia B, and 1.1 cases for severe hemophilia B. Prevalence at birth is 24.6 cases for all severities of hemophilia A, 9.5 cases for severe hemophilia A, five cases for all severities of hemophilia B, and 1.5 cases for severe hemophilia B. The life expectancy disadvantage (in high-income countries) is thus 30% for hemophilia A, 37% for severe hemophilia A, 24% for hemophilia B, and 27% for severe hemophilia B. The study was published on September 10, 2019, in Annals of Internal Medicine.
“The expected number of patients with hemophilia worldwide is 1,125,000, of whom 418,000 should have severe hemophilia,” said lead author Professor Alfonso Iorio, MD, PhD, director of the Hamilton-Niagara hemophilia program at McMaster University. “Knowing how many patients are out there will enable health care systems to estimate the resources needed to treat the disease, and enable drug manufacturers to increase the investment in research to match the demand of a patient population three times larger than we previously thought.”
Hemophilia, which is found almost only in men, is caused by a genetic defect. The most common type is hemophilia A, due to a lack of clotting factor VIII. Hemophilia B, which is less common, is caused by a lack in factor IX. Hemophilia is currently treated with infusions of the missing factors to prevent or stop debilitating bleeds, but treatment is expensive and scarce in many countries. Lack of treatment leads to chronic, disabling joint disease, while bleeding into organs and brain hemorrhages can lead to disability and death.
Related Links:
McMaster University
World Federation of Hemophilia
Researchers at McMaster University (Hamilton, ON, Canada), the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH; Montréal, Canada), and other institutions conducted a random-effects meta-analysis of registry data from Australia, Canada, France, Italy, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom in order to estimate the prevalence and prevalence at birth of male patients with hemophilia A or B in proportion to total male population, life expectancy disadvantage as related to prevalence at birth, and the expected number of patients worldwide.
The results revealed a prevalence of hemophilia A of 17.1 cases per 100,000 males for all severities of hemophilia, six cases for severe hemophilia A, 3.8 cases for all severities of hemophilia B, and 1.1 cases for severe hemophilia B. Prevalence at birth is 24.6 cases for all severities of hemophilia A, 9.5 cases for severe hemophilia A, five cases for all severities of hemophilia B, and 1.5 cases for severe hemophilia B. The life expectancy disadvantage (in high-income countries) is thus 30% for hemophilia A, 37% for severe hemophilia A, 24% for hemophilia B, and 27% for severe hemophilia B. The study was published on September 10, 2019, in Annals of Internal Medicine.
“The expected number of patients with hemophilia worldwide is 1,125,000, of whom 418,000 should have severe hemophilia,” said lead author Professor Alfonso Iorio, MD, PhD, director of the Hamilton-Niagara hemophilia program at McMaster University. “Knowing how many patients are out there will enable health care systems to estimate the resources needed to treat the disease, and enable drug manufacturers to increase the investment in research to match the demand of a patient population three times larger than we previously thought.”
Hemophilia, which is found almost only in men, is caused by a genetic defect. The most common type is hemophilia A, due to a lack of clotting factor VIII. Hemophilia B, which is less common, is caused by a lack in factor IX. Hemophilia is currently treated with infusions of the missing factors to prevent or stop debilitating bleeds, but treatment is expensive and scarce in many countries. Lack of treatment leads to chronic, disabling joint disease, while bleeding into organs and brain hemorrhages can lead to disability and death.
Related Links:
McMaster University
World Federation of Hemophilia
Latest Critical Care News
- Wearable Robotic Gait Training Linked to Improved Walking Distance in ALS
- Consumer Smartwatch May Expand Access to Obstructive Sleep Apnea Screening
- Proposed Risk Score Prioritizes Sickest Patients for Heart Transplant
- Wristwatch Sensor Tracks Sodium and Potassium in Sweat in Real Time
- Smart Tear Sensors May Help Detect Shifts in Eye Health Over Time
- Wearable Smart Ring Receives FDA Clearance for Noninvasive Blood Oxygen Monitoring
- AI Tool Combining ECG and Blood Tests Reduces Unnecessary Heart Transplant Biopsies
- Deep Brain Stimulation Window May Matter for Parkinson’s Patients With GBA1 Variants
- Minimally Invasive Ultrasound-Guided Procedure Eases Carpal Tunnel Symptoms
- FDA-Approved App Enables Pulmonary Pressure Monitoring and Medication Guidance in Heart Failure
- Wearable Patch Prototype Advances Toward Integrated Automated Insulin Delivery
- Standardized Scoring Tool Supports ICU Discharge Decisions
- Battery-Free Wearable Sensor Enables Activity Recognition for Health Monitoring
- New ECG Foundation Model Enables Broad Cardiac Diagnosis and Risk Prediction
- Noninvasive AI Tool Maps Atrial Cardiomyopathy to Support Ablation Planning
- Nasal Spray Provides Rapid Pain Relief for Children in Emergency Care
Channels
Artificial Intelligence
view channel
Optical Imaging System Helps Predict Chemotherapy Response in Cancer
Selecting chemotherapy can be difficult because tumors from different patients may respond differently to the same drug. Testing treatment effects directly on living tumor tissue could help clinicians... Read more
AI Tool Predicts Long-Term Cardiovascular Risk from Sleep Study ECG
Sleep disorders such as insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea are established cardiovascular risk factors and are commonly evaluated with overnight polysomnography. These studies routinely record electrocardiogram... Read more
Predictive Model Supports Growth Hormone Treatment Planning in Idiopathic Short Stature
Idiopathic short stature (ISS) describes children whose height is substantially below the expected range for age and sex without an identifiable medical cause. Recombinant growth hormone therapy can support... Read moreSurgical Techniques
view channel
New Surgical Technique Enlarges Aortic Root for Larger Valve Implantation
When replacing a diseased aortic valve, a small aortic root can prevent surgeons from implanting a prosthesis large enough for the patient’s body size. This can lead to patient-prosthesis mismatch, causing... Read moreFDA Approval Expands Bridging Stent Use in Complex Aortic Aneurysm Repair
Complex aortic aneurysms are increasingly treated with fenestrated and branched endovascular aortic repair, which rely on bridging stents to maintain blood flow to visceral arteries. These complex procedures... Read morePatient Care
view channel
AI Platform Personalizes Support Between Visits for Cancer Survivors
Cancer survivors often manage persistent side effects after treatment, including fatigue, anxiety, uncertainty, symptoms, stress, and questions between appointments. Clinical teams need ways to maintain... Read more
At-Home Neuromodulation Shows Promise in Selected Patients With Hypertension
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, including heart attack and stroke. Many patients receiving treatment for hypertension still remain above recommended blood pressure... Read more
EHR Model Flags High-Risk Periods in Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer
Determining when patients with metastatic breast cancer are nearing the end of life remains difficult, often leading to intensive interventions with limited benefit. Prognostic uncertainty can delay goals-of-care... Read moreMedical Imaging
view channel
Amyloid and Tau PET Guide Selection and Monitoring of Alzheimer’s Therapy
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and can be difficult to distinguish from other causes of cognitive decline. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 57 million people were... Read more
MRI Tool Analysis Identifies Vascular Differences in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease
Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) involves changes or damage to the brain’s small blood vessels and is associated with stroke and cognitive impairment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can show cerebral... Read moreHealth IT
view channel
EHR Alerts Support Dosing, Sedation, and Shock Recognition in Cardiac Care
Electronic health record alerts can add to clinician workload when they are poorly targeted. In critical cardiac care, however, delayed decisions can affect treatment timing, sedation exposure, and escalation... Read more
Adaptive Radiation QA Software Gains Validation for NeoArc Treatments
Adaptive radiation therapy allows clinicians to adjust treatment plans to daily anatomical changes such as tumor shrinkage, weight loss, or organ movement, improving precision while limiting exposure to... Read morePoint of Care
view channel
Continuous Glucose Monitoring Identifies Cardiometabolic Risk in Adults Without Diabetes
Dysglycemia—abnormal blood glucose regulation—can fluctuate throughout the day and often escape conventional screening. Clinicians typically rely on fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c, which offer... Read more
Microneedle Patch Enables At-Home Monitoring of Acute Kidney Injury
Kidney disease is often silent in its early stages, making timely detection difficult outside clinical settings. Early biomarkers such as neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin can require blood draws... Read moreBusiness
view channel
Steris to Expand Surgical Safety Portfolio With $2.1 Billion Xodus Medical Deal
Steris has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Xodus Medical, a specialty surgical products business based in Pennsylvania, for $2.1 billion at closing. The acquisition will expand Steris’s healthcare... Read more
Stryker Enters Soft-Tissue Robotics Through Strategic Alliance With CMR Surgical
Stryker (Portage, MI, USA) and CMR Surgical (Cambridge, UK) have announced a strategic alliance centered on the Versius Surgical Robotic portfolio. The agreement includes an approximately USD 400 million... Read more







