Organized sports participation and the association with injury in paediatric patients with haemophilia.
BACKGROUND
With the wide availability of factor and the routine use of prophylaxis boys with haemophilia are now able to participate in regular physical activity, including organized sports. Current guidelines vary regarding specific recommendations for sports participation and concerns remain regarding safety.


OBJECTIVE
To determine if participation in organized sports is associated with an increased risk for injury in paediatric subjects with haemophilia.


METHODS
Retrospective single-centre cohort study from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2010 in male subjects ages 10-18 years with a factor VIII (FVIII) or FIX level <40%. The number of injuries per subject and participation in organized sports was recorded.


RESULTS
48 male subjects with a mean age of 14.3 ± 2.6 years (range: 10-18.8) were included; 64.6% (31/48) FVIII deficiency, 54.2% (26/48) severe haemophilia, 18.8% (9/48) moderate and 27.1% (13/48) mild. The majority [62.5% (30/48)] of subjects participated in at least one season of organized sport. There were 77 injuries in 36/48 (75%) subjects. The mean number of injuries per subject was 1.6 ± 1.5. There was no statistical difference in the mean number of injuries (P = 0.44) or target joint formation (P = 0.52) between the subjects who participated in organized sports compared to those who did not.


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, participation in organized sports by boys with haemophilia, ages 10-18 years, is common and not associated with an increased number of injuries or the development of a target joint. As injuries occurred equally in both groups, concerted efforts should be directed at reducing injuries in all patients.
Department of Physical Therapy, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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McGee
Division of Hematology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.|Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Raffini
Division of Hematology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.|Department of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Witmer
D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005164:Factor IX / Q000032:analysis; D005169:Factor VIII / Q000032:analysis; D006467:Hemophilia A / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013177:Sports; D014947:Wounds and Injuries
D005169:Factor VIII; D005164:Factor IX
haemarthrosis; haemophilia; paediatric; prophylaxis; risk of injury; sports participation