Joint damage and internal bleeding are the main concerns with hemophilia, as well as other bleeding disorders. Joint bleeding is the most common site of bleeding in hemophilia. Early treatment can help reduce the risk of chronic joint disease, functional impairment, and disability. Exercise can also benefit joints, as the correct physical activity can build tissue around the joints to protect them. Exercise is also a way to prevent obesity, which increases the risk of bone damage, especially in those with hemophilia.
A study which examined the use of an MRI to detect joint damage in boys with hemophilia A has been researched for more than 10 years. This study included 56 boys across 11 hemophilia A treatment centers in Canada. The participants in this project consisted of the boys at a starting age of 1- to 2-and-a-half-years-old.
The study had it so the boys underwent weekly prophylaxis infusions and MRI scans at the ages of 6- and 12-years-old to test the effectiveness of their infusions.
While the main objective of the examination was not to test the effectiveness of the boys' prophylaxis infusions, two experienced radiologists noted that 54 percent of the boys researched showed detectable soft tissue damage in at least one joint, synovial hypertrophy (an increase of the cellularity of the synovial membrane), and hemosiderin deposition (the breakdown of red blood cells, causing the hemoglobin to be stored as hemosiderin). Overall, the researchers concluded a 50 percent increase in the likelihood of joint deterioration.
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Comprehensively, the study essentially added substance to the research of establishing the value of using MRIs to detect early joint deterioration, especially in hemophiliacs. You can read the full study here. Click HERE for the detailed study.
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