Summary
Two patients with a severe von Willebrand’s disease characterized by no detectable
factor VIII related antigen in their plasma received transfusions of cryoprecipitate.
The bleeding time was corrected for a short period of time and returned to its pretransfusional
value although the other parameters of the disease were still corrected. Electrophoretic
and immunologic properties of factor VIII related antigen infused were determined
serially after transfusion. Modifications of these properties occurred progressively
after transfusion. The half disappearance time of F. VIIIR. A. was determined and
found to be considerably shorter than in hemophilic recipients. This study suggests
an alteration in vivo of F. VIIIR. A. infused into von Willebrand recipients.