Season 5 • Episode 5

Factor Levels: What Do They Really Mean?

Episode Description

What do factor levels really tell us about bleeding risk, treatment response, and long-term joint health in hemophilia?

On the latest episode of The Global Hemophilia Report, host Patrick James Lynch and co-host Dr. Donna D'Micheli explore how advances in hemophilia treatment are challenging traditional approaches to measuring and interpreting factor levels.

From one-stage and chromogenic assays to non-factor therapies and gene therapy, the conversation examines why laboratory results don't always tell the full story. Dr. Steven Pipe and Dr. Kenneth Friedman, Senior Medical Director at Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin, discuss the complexities of laboratory monitoring, the role of additional testing and genotyping, and the unanswered questions around predicting bleeding risk and protecting long-term joint health.

Len Valentino, President of World Federation of Hemophilia USA, brings a global perspective to the discussion, highlighting how limited access to precise laboratory testing shapes hemophilia care in low- and middle-income countries and why equitable access to diagnosis and treatment remains essential.

At the heart of the conversation: How can clinicians better understand what factor levels mean for individual patients? From interpreting laboratory results to considering bleeding phenotype, treatment durability, and peace of mind, the episode explores the questions still shaping hemophilia care worldwide.

Guests:

Steven Pipe, MD - Hematologist, Professor of Pediatrics and Pathology, University of Michigan

Len Valentino, MD - President, World Federation of Hemophilia USA

Kenneth Friedman, MD - Senior Medical Director, Hematology, Versiti Blood Center of Wisconsin

Senior Advisor: Donna DiMichele, MD

Hosted by: Patrick James Lynch

Featured Advertiser:

Sanofi

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