Use of heat-treated clotting-factor concentrates in patients with haemophilia and a high exposure to HTLV-III.

Abstract

In a group of 126 Australian patients with haemophilia, who were receiving lyophilized clotting-factor concentrates prepared from locally collected plasma, a high prevalence of antibody to human T-cell lymphotropic virus III (HTLV-III) was demonstrated in those with severe disease. Patients with moderate or mild disease had a much lower prevalence of HTLV-III antibody. After heat treatment of lyophilized factor VIII and factor IX concentrates (60 degrees C for 72 hours) to inactivate the virus, the losses of activity of an intermediate-purity and of a fibrinogen-poor factor VIII concentrate, and of the coagulant activity of a factor IX concentrate, were within acceptable limits. The solubili..