TREATMENT OF ACQUIRED FACTOR-VIII INHIBITOR USING INTRAVENOUS IMMUNOGLOBULIN IN 2 PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS-ERYTHEMATOSUS

Acquired inhibitors of factor VIII have rarely been reported in the pr esence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Treatment is usually cor ticosteroids, with or without immunosuppressive agents such as cycloph osphamide or azathioprine. We report here case histories of 2 patients , one with documented SLE, the other with a forme fruste of SLE. Both patients had inadequate responses to corticosteroids and immunosuppres sive agents, Both responded to intravenous immunoglobulin, with a decr ease in their titers of factor VIII inhibitor and significantly decrea sed frequency of bleeding episodes despite persistent low-level inhibi tor titers, Better control of their SLE symptoms and findings was also observed. Previously reported treatments of acquired factor VIII inhi bitors in SLE are discussed.