A descriptive study of United States bleeding disorders camps

BackgroundDisease-specific camps present one means of helping children overcome the challenges associated with chronic conditions and improving clinical and psychosocial outcomes. For more than 50 years, bleeding disorders camps (BDCs) in the United States (US) have been promoting independence, self-care, and leadership skills in children with bleeding disorders, all while fostering camaraderie in a secure and safe environment. However, little is known about how BDCs are organised, administered, funded, staffed, or how staff are compensated.AimThis article aims to describe the attributes of BDCs that service the US bleeding disorders community, and to compare and contrast these attributes to identify gaps in the BDC system and areas for improvement.MethodsThe National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF), in collaboration with several members of its Nursing Working Group and Physical Therapy Working Group, developed a survey that was distributed to BDC administrators (CAs) and health care providers (HCPs).ResultsA total of 101 HCPs and 20 CAs completed the survey. Findings indicated that BDCs are an informal extension of both the HTCs and NHF chapters, reaffirming that camps play a crucial role in the overall care of bleeding disorders. In general, diminishing financial resources threaten the existence of BDCs. Although there are BDC guidelines for formal staff training and specific interventions delivered to camp participants, adherence is variable. Other gaps included minimal self-infusion education follow-up with no documentation on effect or benefit of infusion education provided at camp.ConclusionAddressing the gaps identified by this survey and documenting resultant data supporting the value of BDCs will facilitate their continued sustainability in light of increasingly limited funding.

Case report of nasal pseudotumor – a rare presentation in severe haemophilia A with high titre inhibitors

Haemophilia patients with inhibitors suffer from increased morbidity and mortality due to the ineffectiveness of factor VIII replacement. Pseudotumors are rare but dangerous complications in these patients, and nasal pseudotumors are even rarer. Here, we present the case of a young child with severe haemophilia A with high titre inhibitors who developed a nasal pseudotumor. When immune tolerance therapy was not possible due to financial constraints, he was treated with FEIBA prophylaxis and rituximab. The pseudotumor was managed with surgical excision. We conclude that epistaxis in haemophiliacs can be due to an underlying nasal pseudotumor, and highlight the use of rituximab for the eradication of inhibitors.

“You’re only a carrier” – women and the language of haemophilia

Women who have the gene variant for haemophilia are labelled solely as ‘carriers’ unless they have a factor VIII activity of ≤40%. This term, which describes an individual who can pass on a disorder but are themselves unaffected, reflects a legacy that extends from the 18th century to the present day. There is strong evidence that women labelled as carriers experience heavy periods, joint damage, pain and impaired quality of life. The label ‘carrier’ does not recognise this burden and is associated with guilt, stigma and difficulty accessing care. People living with a long-term disorder should now be described using person-first terminology and it is common to see the term ‘people with haemophilia’. The term ‘carrier’ should be limited to its application in genetics and not used as a catch-all label for women with haemophilia.

Management of multiple myeloma in a patient with haemophilia with concurrent emicizumab – case report

With the increased life expectancies of people with severe haemophilia A, diagnoses of disorders associated with increased age are likely to become more common. Multiple myeloma is a commonly diagnosed plasma cell dyscrasia, with incidence strongly related to age. Both the disease itself and specific myeloma therapies are associated with a significant increase in rates of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Management of VTE prophylaxis can be challenging, especially in patients with a bleeding disorder. In this case report, we describe the management of a patient with concurrent diagnosis of multiple myeloma and severe haemophilia A, undergoing first line myeloma chemotherapy. The patient was successfully managed on standard of care myeloma treatment, with use of emicizumab and venous thromboprophylaxis. This case demonstrates the successful management of a haematological malignancy and a bleeding disorder using integrated and multidisciplinary patient-focused care.

Seeing the bigger picture: Qualitative research in the Zoom® age

Participants in clinical trials for new haemophilia treatments are routinely asked to complete quality of life (QoL) questionnaires using validated and disease-specific instruments. Yet too often in clinical research we know very little about the life stories of individuals, making it difficult to know how they have been affected by a new therapy and what exactly has changed for the better – or for the worse. In my own research, I wanted to understand the differences that new treatments are really making to people's everyday lives. While traditional QoL instruments can be helpful, using a qualitative approach that involves speaking directly with people with haemophilia (PwH) and their family members has enabled me find out what has really been going on their lives, including impacts on the wider family. The Covid pandemic and the need to maintain social distancing changed the way in which my research has been carried out, but in fact provided an opportunity to see an even bigger picture. I believe that using videoconferencing platforms to conduct interviews and focus groups has both allowed me to see more of the world in which the participants live and has enabled participants to be more relaxed and open in their conversations, resulting in a potentially richer dataset. While this approach to qualitative QoL research should not replace interviews and focus groups, the use of videoconferencing should be considered as another methodology researchers can and should use to enable them to glean the richest data possible. Qualitative interviews offer an important complementary addition to the validated QoL measures used in clinical trials, enabling us to hear more about where improvements have occurred, where further improvements can be made, and the real-life impact of a new treatment for PwH and their families.

Haemophilia specialist nurses’ perceptions of haemophilia B

Introduction Some clinicians believe that haemophilia B is associated with less bleeding than haemophilia A, yet there appears to be little difference in health-related outcomes. Current clinical practice reduces the risk of bleeds, making differences difficult to measure. We surveyed specialist haemophilia nurses to discern their opinions about the impact of haemophilia B compared to haemophilia A. Methods Between July and September 2020, European and Canadian nurses were invited to complete an online survey (25 questions) about perceptions of management and treatment of haemophilia B. Results Fifty-nine nurses (46 European, 13 Canadian) completed the survey. Bleeding was reported as different in haemophilia B by 37% of respondents, and treatment as different by over half. Opinions and experience around using extended half-life (EHL) products varied. Self-reported confidence in using EHL products was rated at a mean of 7.1 (range 3–10) with 47% believing these would remain the optimal treatment in 2025. Conclusion Some nurses believe haemophilia A and B are managed differently. Variations in experience and levels of confidence in the use of EHL products, combined with a belief that these products will remain an optimal treatment for haemophilia B for the next five years, indicates a need for education to promote confidence and competence.

Bone mineral density in Canadian children with severe haemophilia A or B: a cross-sectional study

Background Previous research has shown that bone mineral density (BMD), a measure of bone strength, may be lower among people with haemophilia. However, the majority of this research has been done in adults and in countries where the treatment for haemophilia differs from the standard of care in Canada, and there is a lack of paediatric data. Aims The primary objective of this study was to determine whether Canadian children and youth with severe haemophilia A and B have BMD similar to healthy controls matched for height, age and weight (HAW-score). Secondary objectives included the exploration of any association between BMD and the following variables: factor replacement regimen, Hemophilia Joint Health Score (HJHS), bleeding history, physical activity level, and dietary intake of calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K and protein. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was designed to determine the BMD of children with severe haemophilia A and B in Canada. Ethical approvals were obtained from participating institutions. Thirty-eight participants aged 3–18 with severe haemophilia A and B were recruited from two treatment centres in Canada. Subjects underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan, and data was collected from regular clinic visit to identify factor replacement regimen, HJHS, and number of joint bleeds over the lifespan. Physical activity level and dietary intake of calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K and protein were identified using self-report questionnaires. Results Participants showed a mean spine BMD Z-score and HAW-score higher than controls, with no participants showing a spine Z-score or HAW-score of <0. Hip BMD score was within normal range, and 2 participants had a Z-score and HAW-score of <−2. Total body BMD score was lower than controls, with 6 participants having a Z-score of <−2.0, and 3 participants having a HAW-score of <−2.0. Factor replacement regimen, HJHS, calcium intake, and physical activity level had no relationship to BMD Z-score or HAW-score. Low intake of vitamin D was associated with a low hip and spine BMD Z-score and HAW-score. Participants with a HJHS joint score greater than 0 had a higher total body HAW-score than those who had a joint score of 0. Conclusion Canadian children with severe haemophilia A and B demonstrate differences in spine and total body BMD from height-, age-, and weight-matched controls, where spine BMD is higher than controls and total body BMD is lower than controls. Studies with a larger sample size are needed to clarify the status of BMD in children with haemophilia treated with primary prophylaxis.

Telemedicine in haemophilia during COVID-19 and beyond: a comprehensive review

Introduction Patients with haemophilia require regular assessments and physical examinations. The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the rapid adoption of telemedicine to enable virtual consultations and reduce hospital visits. However, the process of virtual consultations is new to many haemophilia clinics. A better understanding of best practices in telemedicine is important to ensure optimal quality of care for patients with haemophilia. Objectives To summarise the current literature on the use of direct-to-consumer telemedicine for patients with haemophilia and to describe the effectiveness and potential limitations of the technology and methods used. Methods A comprehensive search was conducted in MEDLINE and EMBASE databases using terms referring to the concepts “haemophilia” AND “telemedicine” and their synonyms. There were no time or language restrictions. Title, abstracts, and full texts were screened. Included articles involved telemedicine interventions to facilitate clinical services directly between patients and providers without the use of third-party personnel. The primary outcome was the satisfaction of providers and patients. Secondary outcomes included economic considerations and clinical outcomes. Information was extracted based on study-specific, patient-specific, intervention-specific, and outcome-specific data. Results Of the 925 articles screened, six were identified and summarised. Three described telemedicine within the context of COVID-19. Technologies used included telephone calls, videoconferencing, text messaging, and email. All studies involved a multidisciplinary team. Telemedicine in haemophilia care was found to positively impact the patient experience. Providers were satisfied with telemedicine. It was also suggested to be economically beneficial and positively impacted patient outcomes. However, none of the articles reported on how telemedicine was specifically used to perform assessments during the virtual consultation process. Conclusions There is preliminary evidence that telemedicine may be beneficial in haemophilia care. Overall, patients and providers reported high satisfaction with the usage of direct-to-consumer telemedicine. This positive reception warrants improvements in standardisation of reporting and quality of study design to better assess its clinical and economic impact. Developing a standard guideline for virtual consultations would support healthcare practitioners in how to best incorporate telemedicine to improve quality of care.

The B-team: Equal but different?

As a person with haemophilia B, I have known there are differences between haemophilia A and haemophilia B and their respective treatment throughout my life – though I was shocked when I learnt about the impact inhibitors can have when it comes to bleeding. Despite being very rare, as well as difficult to manage, in a recent survey reported by Chaplin et al., many nurses had experience in managing haemophilia B inhibitors. Nurses in the survey also thought extended half-life (EHL) factor products would remain the optimal treatment for haemophilia B in 2025. Ongoing clinical trials for novel molecules like concuzimab and fitusiran signal the start of more treatment options for haemophilia B, and the development of gene therapy has focused on haemophilia B in the first instance. But the fact remains that the pharmaceutical industry has focused on developing treatments for the larger haemophilia A market. Could this have distorted perceptions around treatment? In a further ‘perception bias’ that impacts management, some nurses feel there are differences in bleeding phenotype between haemophilia A and B. Garner et al.'s paper discussing rIX-FX, suggests that treatment adherence is better in haemophilia B due to lower dosing frequency, making it an easier treatment option than for haemophilia A. The patient perception may be somewhat different. While dosing schedules in haemophilia B have been more consistent for longer, there has been less pharmacokinetic modelling in haemophilia B and, arguably, less opportunity for truly tailored treatment. Gene therapy has been shown to be more ‘successful’ for haemophilia B than haemophilia A, but emicizumab has raised questions about the need for gene therapy in haemophilia A. Having an ‘emi-equivalent’ for haemophilia B will raise the same questions and may give people haemophilia B and inhibitors an effective treatment that is as transformative as emicizumab has been in the haemophilia A population.

“He's a normal kid now”: an ethnographic study of challenges and possibilities in a new era of haemophilia care

BackgroundRecent treatment option advances in haemophilia care have contributed to a discourse of ‘normality’ around the condition, in which people with haemophilia (PwH) are increasingly expected to live ‘normal’ lives unburdened by their condition.AimThe aim of this article is to explore notions of ‘normality’ in the experience of haemophilia across generations. This is one of the main themes identified in a large-scale ethnographic study of the everyday life of PwH, a broad qualitative investigation of beliefs and experiences related to condition, treatment, and personal ways of managing the condition.MethodsThe study used ethnographic research methods. Five haemophilia experts helped frame the research design by contributing historical and disease area context prior to the initiation of field research. PwH were recruited through patient organisations in five European countries (Italy, Germany, Spain, UK and Ireland). During field research, study researchers collected data through 8–12 hours of participant observation, semi-structured interviews, written exercises, facilitated group dialogues, and on-site observations of PwH interactions with friends, family, and health care professionals (HCPs). They also conducted on-site observation at haemophilia treatment centres (HTCs) and HCP interviews. The study employed a multi-tiered grounded theory approach and combined data were analysed using techniques such as inductive and deductive analysis, cross-case analysis, challenges mapping, and clustering exercises. This article explores findings related to the discourse of ‘normality’ and is thus focused on a subset of the data from the study.ResultsFifty-one PwH, aged 1.5 to 82 years, were interviewed and followed in their daily lives. Six treatment centres were visited, and 18 HCPs were interviewed. The study found that a discourse of present day ‘normality’, as compared to a difficult past, is ingrained in the haemophilia community. As a result, unlike most older PwH (40+), younger PwH (under 18) are not always taught to acknowledge the severity of their condition or how to sense bleeds (disease-related embodied knowledge), and risk unknowingly doing long-term damage to their bodies. Twenty-seven per cent (n=7/26) of younger PwH (children, teenagers) in the study were observed or described as engaging in high-risk behaviours in the short term indicating a lack understanding of long-term consequences.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that the discourse of ‘normality’ presents a number of challenges that need to be addressed, namely the potential for younger PwH to be unaware of bleeds and the general underreporting of haemophilia-related complications and limitations. One way forward in realising the full potential of advanced treatment could be to teach young PwH, through evidence-based initiatives, how to develop an embodied sense of their bleeds. Furthermore, if the current state of life with haemophilia is accepted as finally ‘normal’, then progress in further improving care may be stalled. It is important that remaining and new challenges are recognised in order for them to be acted upon.