Feasibility of Using Thrombin Generation Assay (TGA) for Monitoring Bypassing Agent Therapy in Patients With Hemophilia Having Inhibitors

Abstract

Background: Monitoring bypassing agent therapy and observing concordance with clinical hemostasis is crucial in vital hemorrhages and major surgeries in patients with hemophilia having inhibitor. Objective: We aimed to investigate the value of the thrombin generation assay (TGA) and thromboelastography (TEG) for monitoring hemostasis in patients with hemophilia having inhibitor, during supplementation therapy with bypassing agents. Patients and Methods: The study group consisted of 7 patients with hemophilia having factor VIII inhibitor. All patients were male. The median age of the participants was 10 years. Age range was 6 to 32 years. The median inhibitor level was 10 Bethesda units (BU), with a range of 5 to 32 BU. A total of 17 bleeding episodes were evaluated. Both TEG and TGA tests were assessed in addition to clinical responses. Assessments were made prior to bypass agent therapy such as recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) or activated prothrombin complex concentrate (aPCC) for bleeding episodes, during the first hour and 24 hours after either intervention in patients. Results: No relation between clinical response and TGA or TEG parameters was found in patients. There was no difference between clinical responses after rFVIIa and aPCC treatments. However, after aPCC treatment, endogenous thrombin potential and peak thrombin levels and also TEG R, K, and alpha angle degrees were significantly higher. Conclusions: In conclusion, we found that the clinical effectiveness of bypass therapy in hemophilia cannot be assessed by TGA and TEG.