People with hemophilia can bleed into the joint space after an injury or, at times, without obvious cause. The pressure of blood filling the joint cavity causes significant pain and can lead to chronic swelling and deformity.

The articular problems of hemophiliac patients begin in infancy. These include: recurrent hemarthroses, chronic synovitis, flexion deformities, hypertrophy of the growth epiphyses, damage to the articular cartilage, and hemophilic arthropathy. The most commonly affected joints are the ankle, the knee, and the elbow.

Hemophilia can result in: Bleeding within joints that can lead to chronic joint disease and pain. Bleeding in the head and sometimes in the brain which can cause long term problems, such as seizures and paralysis. Death can occur if the bleeding cannot be stopped or if it occurs in a vital organ such as the brain.

Myth: It’s possible to outgrow hemophilia. Fact: Hemophilia is a genetic disease, and because the body can’t repair the defective blood factor gene that causes it, people have hemophilia for life. Scientists are searching for a cure, however, via gene therapy.

Although the UKHCDO recommends oral vitamin K for newborns with hemophilia, parenteral vitamin K is preferred in general and has not been demonstrated to cause significant bleeding complications in newborns with hemophilia. Parenteral vitamin K is therefore an option for newborns with hemophilia.

Blood clotting or coagulation prevents excessive bleeding internally and externally. If a person has a vitamin K deficiency, that means the person’s body cannot produce enough of these proteins, increasing the risk of excessive bleeding.

Vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin,” has garnered interest across many medical fields. For patients with hemophilia, boning up on bone health now may help prevent bone loss and fractures later.