Diagnosis: Recombinant VIIa treatment
• Recombinant factor VIIa (rVIIa) at a low dose of 20 to 30 μg/kg is used in the treatment of congenital factor VII deficiency.
• Although plasma infusions have been used, there is risk for volume overload and other transfusion reactions, as well as transfusion-transmitted infection.
• The biological half-life of rFVIIa is 2 hours, so it may have to be administered frequently until bleeding ceases.
• rFVIIa in vivo action is inhibited by tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI).
• rFVIIa is also used to treat bleeding in patients with hemophilia A or B with inhibitors or patients with acquired factor VIII or IX inhibitors.
