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Abstract:

We report a case of a 84-year-old man admitted to the hospital presenting haematuria, multiple ecchymoses and muscle bleeding without previous personal or familial history of bleeding. A clotting screen revealed a prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time and a normal prothrombin time. Further screening disclosed a markedly lower factor VIII concentration in the presence of a factor VIII inhibitor which is diagnostic for acquired haemophilia. Acquired haemophilia is a rare but potential life-threatening bleeding disease caused by the acquisition of antibodies to clotting factor VIII. Differential diagnosis, pathogenesis, treatment and prognosis of this disorder are briefly discussed.