ACQUIRED HEMOPHILIA LN THE ELDERLY

The occurrence of an acquired inhibitor of F VIII coagulant activity i s a rare cause of a sometimes important bleeding diathesis. Antibodies against F VIII:C can spontaneously occur, mostly in elderly patients. Four elderly patients with such a typical clinical and biological syn drome are reported. No identifiable underlying disease was found and t hey responded favourably to an immunosuppressive treatment. In one pat ient plasmapheresis was successful.