Polystyrene derivatives as candidates for extracorporeal adsorption of Factor VIII antibodies in the management of haemophiliac patients.

Background And Objectives: This article presents a new approach for removing the Factor VIII inhibitors (anti-FVIII) in haemophiliac patients by immunoadsorption using an affinity matrix.

Materials And Methods: Ten blood samples from haemophiliac patients with anti-FVIII were assayed for antibodies, total immunoglobulins, procoagulant proteins and complement C3 protein after circulation over one or two columns filled with the polymers under investigation.

Results: These new synthetic sorbents are able to remove in vitro 90% of anti-FVIII from haemophiliac plasma with inhibitors (up to 540 Bethesda Units/ml).