National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Acquired hemophilia


Other Names:
Acquired haemophilia
Categories:
Acquired hemophilia is a bleeding disorder that interferes with the body's blood clotting process. Although the condition can affect people of all ages, it generally occurs in older people (the median age of diagnosis is between 60 and 67 years). Signs and symptoms include prolonged bleeding, frequent nosebleeds, bruising throughout the body, solid swellings of congealed blood (hematomas), hematuria, and gastrointestinal or urologic bleeding. Acquired hemophilia occurs when the body's immune system attacks and disables a certain protein that helps the blood clot. About half of the cases are associated with other conditions, such as pregnancy, autoimmune disease, cancer, skin diseases, or allergic reactions to medications. Treatment is aimed at controlling bleeding episodes and addressing the underlying cause of the condition.[1][2]
Last updated: 7/9/2015

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
80%-99% of people have these symptoms
Anemia
Low number of red blood cells or hemoglobin
0001903
Autoimmune antibody positivity 0030057
Prolonged partial thromboplastin time 0003645
Reduced factor VIII activity 0003125
Subcutaneous hemorrhage
Bleeding below the skin
0001933
30%-79% of people have these symptoms
Intramuscular hematoma 0012233
5%-29% of people have these symptoms
Gastrointestinal hemorrhage
Gastrointestinal bleeding
0002239
Hematuria
Blood in urine
0000790
Post-partum hemorrhage
Bleeding post-delivery
0011891
1%-4% of people have these symptoms
Intracranial hemorrhage
Bleeding within the skull
0002170
Joint hemorrhage
Bleeding within a joint
Hemarthrosis
[ more ] 		0005261
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Acquired hemophilia. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Patient Registry

  • The Autoimmune Registry supports research for Acquired hemophilia by collecting information about patients with this and other autoimmune diseases. You can join the registry to share your information with researchers and receive updates about participating in new research studies. Learn more about registries.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • Genetics Home Reference (GHR) contains information on Acquired hemophilia. This website is maintained by the National Library of Medicine.
  • The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has a report for patients and families about this condition. NORD is a patient advocacy organization for individuals with rare diseases and the organizations that serve them.

In-Depth Information

  • Medscape Reference provides information on this topic. You may need to register to view the medical textbook, but registration is free.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Acquired hemophilia. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.

  1. Sara J Grethlein, MD. Acquired Hemophilia. Medscape Reference. November 2014; http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/211186-overview.
  2. Acquired Hemophilia. NORD. 2012; https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/acquired-hemophilia/.