Factor VIII Activity

This test is used to measure the activity of factor VIII which is a blood-clotting protein. This helps in diagnosing hemophilia A or any other clotting disorder.

What is Hemophilia A?

Hemophilia A also called as Factor VIII deficiency or classic hemophilia is a very common bleeding disorder in which blood fails to clot. This leads to a risk of uncontrolled bleeding in an individual. This is a genetic disorder developed by defective or missing factor VIII. Hemophilia A can be mild, moderate or severe. In a healthy individual factor VIII, including certain proteins come together to form blood clots to stop bleeding. Sine factor VIII is absent in hemophilia A there are no chances of clotting. This disease is mostly seen in men than women because women are usually carriers of the gene and have most of the chances of passing it to their children.

Why this test is performed?

This test may be recommended to you if you experience certain symptoms like bleeding for no reason, prolonged bleeding for minor cuts, dental procedures or surgeries, slow healing of your wounds due to infection or bleeding,easy bruising, frequent nosebleeds, frequent gum bleeding, severe lower back pain mostly on a particular side, swelling at the joints, hot or deformed joints, heavy menstruation, blood transfusion for minor injury. Apart from these symptoms this test may also be recommended to you if you have abnormal test results in other blood tests which show your clotting time or vitamin K deficiency or liver disease or if you have a family history of hemophilia A or to check how well the treatment for hemophilia is working.

Precautions:

Some medications may interfere with this test results like blood thinning agents or anticoagulants like heparin, warfarin, enoxaparin and antiplatelets like aspirin, clopidogrel NSAIDs like ibuprofen, naproxen, etc. Hence inform your doctor or technician about all your current medications and medical conditions prior to the test.

If your test results are lower than the normal range then it may indicate hemophilia A, a disorder where proteins that control blood clotting become overactive (disseminated intravascular coagulation), the presence of factor VIII antibody. If you already have bleeding disorders with normal to a decreased level of factor VIII you may have Von Willebrand disease (a disorder that causes abnormal blood clotting).

In rare cases, the test results are higher than the normal range due to diabetes, obesity, inflammation, pregnancy, older age, liver disease, etc.

If you get abnormal test results to consult your doctor immediately. Your doctor may recommend other tests depending on your results.