[Acquired hemophilia A that developed after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination and worsened following re-vaccination].

Abstract

An 86-year-old Japanese male patient visited a nearby hospital with painful swelling in his left upper and lower limbs 35 days after the second dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) vaccine. He was referred to our hematological department due to a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time and was urgently admitted. He was diagnosed with acquired hemophilia A (AHA) based on factor VIII (FVIII) activity of 1.7%, FVIII inhibitor of 152.3 BU/ml, and FVIII-binding antibodies detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Immunosuppressive therapy with prednisolone (PSL) at 0.5 mg/kg/day was started owing to the risk of infection due to old age and poor activities of daily living. Hemostasis treatment with bypass hemostatic preparations (rFVIIa preparation, FVIIa/FX) was administered for each bleeding event, such as intramuscular and knee joint bleeding, resulting in good hemostatic effects. Coagulative complete remission was achieved on day 69 with PSL treatment; however, FVIII activity decreased with PSL tapering. AHA relapse with rectus abdominis muscle hematoma was observed after the third vaccination. This is the first Japanese report of AHA after COVID-19 vaccination and the world's first case, in which the presence of anti-FVIII-binding antibodies were observed.