ABSTRACT
v on Willebrand disease (VWD) is the most common inherited bleeding disorder characterized by spontaneous or tissue injury–related, mostly mucocutaneous, bleeding events. VWD affects both males and females and is caused by quantitative or qualitative deficiency of v on Willebrand factor. The diagnostic procedure is complicated because VWD is highly heterogeneous, and differential diagnosis from platelet disorders may be challenging. Moreover, these defects may even coexist, impacting the bleeding phenotype. Mild and moderate VWD can be difficult to distinguish from the normal population, and VWD subtyping may also be problematic. This article summarizes the guidelines of the Nordic Haemophilia Council (NHC), which are intended to serve as a practical tool and provide the standards for diagnosing and treating VWD patients. The complete Nordic Guidelines on VWD are available at the NHC Web site (http://nordhemophilia.org ).
KEYWORDS
v on Willebrand disease - Nordic Haemophilia Council - Guidelines
REFERENCES
1
von Willebrand EA.
Hereditär pseudohemofili.
Finsk Lakaresallsk Handl.
1926;
68
87-112
2
Sadler JE, Budde U, Eikenboom JC Working Party on von Willebrand Disease Classification et al.
Update on the pathophysiology and classification of v on Willebrand disease: a report of the Subcommittee on v on Willebrand Factor.
J Thromb Haemost.
2006;
4
(10)
2103-2114
3
Tosetto A, Rodeghiero F, Castaman G et al..
A quantitative analysis of bleeding symptoms in type 1 v on Willebrand disease: results from a multicenter European study (MCMDM-1 VWD).
J Thromb Haemost.
2006;
4
(4)
766-773
4
Bowman M, Mundell G, Grabell J et al..
Generation and validation of the condensed MCMDM-1VWD bleeding questionnaire for v on Willebrand disease.
J Thromb Haemost.
2008;
6
(12)
2062-2066
5
Mannucci PM.
Desmopressin (DDAVP) in the treatment of bleeding disorders: the first twenty years.
Haemophilia.
2000;
6
(Suppl 1)
60-67
6
Berntorp E, Önundarson PT.
Prevalence of v on Willebrand disease in the Nordic region.
Haematologica Rep.
2005;
1
4-6
7
Favaloro EJ.
An update on the v on Willebrand factor collagen binding assay: 21 years of age and beyond adolescence but not yet a mature adult.
Semin Thromb Hemost.
2007;
33
(8)
727-744
8
Baronciani L, Federici AB, Cozzi G, Canciani MT, Mannucci PM.
v on Willebrand factor collagen binding assay in v on Willebrand disease type 2A, 2B, and 2M.
J Thromb Haemost.
2006;
4
(9)
2088-2090
9
Goodeve A, Eikenboom J, Castaman G et al..
Phenotype and genotype of a cohort of families historically diagnosed with type 1 v on Willebrand disease in the European study, Molecular and Clinical Markers for the Diagnosis and Management of Type 1 v on Willebrand Disease (MCMDM-1VWD).
Blood.
2007;
109
(1)
112-121
10
Lethagen S, Hillarp A, Ekholm C, Mattson E, Halldén C, Friberg B.
Distribution of v on Willebrand factor levels in young women with and without bleeding symptoms: influence of ABO blood group and promoter haplotypes.
Thromb Haemost.
2008;
99
(6)
1013-1018
11
Onundarson PT, Gudmundsdottir BR, Arnfinnsdottir AV, Kjeld M, Olafsson O.
v on Willebrand factor does not vary during normal menstrual cycle.
Thromb Haemost.
2001;
85
(1)
183-184
12
Sadler JE, Rodeghiero F. ISTH SSC Subcommittee on von Willebrand Factor .
Provisional criteria for the diagnosis of VWD type 1.
J Thromb Haemost.
2005;
3
(4)
775-777
13
Gudmundsdottir BR, Marder VJ, Onundarson PT.
Risk of excessive bleeding associated with marginally low v on Willebrand factor and mild platelet dysfunction.
J Thromb Haemost.
2007;
5
(2)
274-281
14
Eikenboom J, Van Marion V, Putter H et al..
Linkage analysis in families diagnosed with type 1 v on Willebrand disease in the European study, molecular and clinical markers for the diagnosis and management of type 1 VWD.
J Thromb Haemost.
2006;
4
(4)
774-782
15
Sadler JE.
Low v on Willebrand factor: sometimes a risk factor and sometimes a disease.
Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program.
2009;
106-112
16
Favaloro EJ.
Toward a new paradigm for the identification and functional characterization of v on Willebrand disease.
Semin Thromb Hemost.
2009;
35
(1)
60-75
17
Holmberg L, Dent JA, Schneppenheim R, Budde U, Ware J, Ruggeri ZM.
v on Willebrand factor mutation enhancing interaction with platelets in patients with normal multimeric structure.
J Clin Invest.
1993;
91
(5)
2169-2177
18
Schneppenheim R, Federici AB, Budde U et al..
v on Willebrand disease type 2M “Vicenza” in Italian and German patients: identification of the first candidate mutation (G3864A; R1205H) in 8 families.
Thromb Haemost.
2000;
83
(1)
136-140
19
Mazurier C, Goudemand J, Hilbert L, Caron C, Fressinaud E, Meyer D.
Type 2N v on Willebrand disease: clinical manifestations, pathophysiology, laboratory diagnosis and molecular biology.
Best Pract Res Clin Haematol.
2001;
14
(2)
337-347
20
Casonato A, Pontara E, Sartorello F et al..
Identifying carriers of type 2N v on Willebrand disease: procedures and significance.
Clin Appl Thromb Hemost.
2007;
13
(2)
194-200
21
Eikenboom JC.
Congenital v on Willebrand disease type 3: clinical manifestations, pathophysiology and molecular biology.
Best Pract Res Clin Haematol.
2001;
14
(2)
365-379
22
Castaman G, Rodeghiero F, Tosetto A et al..
Hemorrhagic symptoms and bleeding risk in obligatory carriers of type 3 v on Willebrand disease: an international, multicenter study.
J Thromb Haemost.
2006;
4
(10)
2164-2169
23
Favaloro EJ, Patterson D, Denholm A et al..
Differential identification of a rare form of platelet-type (pseudo-) v on Willebrand disease (VWD) from type 2B VWD using a simplified ristocetin-induced-platelet-agglutination mixing assay and confirmed by genetic analysis.
Br J Haematol.
2007;
139
(4)
623-626
24
Franchini M, Lippi G.
Acquired v on Willebrand syndrome: an update.
Am J Hematol.
2007;
82
(5)
368-375
25
Federici AB, Budde U, Rand JH.
Acquired v on Willebrand syndrome 2004: International Registry—diagnosis and management from online to bedside.
Hamostaseologie.
2004;
24
(1)
50-55
26
Lethagen S, Harris AS, Sjörin E, Nilsson IM.
Intranasal and intravenous administration of desmopressin: effect on F VIII/vWF, pharmacokinetics and reproducibility.
Thromb Haemost.
1987;
58
(4)
1033-1036
27
Lethagen S, Ragnarson Tennvall G.
Self-treatment with desmopressin intranasal spray in patients with bleeding disorders: effect on bleeding symptoms and socioeconomic factors.
Ann Hematol.
1993;
66
(5)
257-260
28
Castaman G, Lethagen S, Federici AB et al..
Response to desmopressin is influenced by the genotype and phenotype in type 1 v on Willebrand disease (VWD): results from the European Study MCMDM-1VWD.
Blood.
2008;
111
(7)
3531-3539
29
Smith TJ, Gill JC, Ambruso DR, Hathaway WE.
Hyponatremia and seizures in young children given DDAVP.
Am J Hematol.
1989;
31
(3)
199-202
30
Lethagen S, Kyrle PA, Castaman G, Haertel S, Mannucci PM. HAEMATE P Surgical Study Group .
v on Willebrand factor/factor VIII concentrate (Haemate P) dosing based on pharmacokinetics: a prospective multicenter trial in elective surgery.
J Thromb Haemost.
2007;
5
(7)
1420-1430
31
Warkentin TE, Moore JC, Anand SS, Lonn EM, Morgan DG.
Gastrointestinal bleeding, angiodysplasia, cardiovascular disease, and acquired v on Willebrand syndrome.
Transfus Med Rev.
2003;
17
(4)
272-286
32
Berntorp E, Petrini P.
Long-term prophylaxis in v on Willebrand disease.
Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis.
2005;
16
(Suppl 1)
S23-S26
33
Sucker C, Scharf RE, Zotz RB.
Use of recombinant factor VIIa in inherited and acquired v on Willebrand disease.
Clin Appl Thromb Hemost.
2009;
15
(1)
27-31
Riitta LassilaM.D. Ph.D.
Unit of Coagulation Disorders
PoB 340, FI-00029HUS, Helsinki, Finland
Email: riitta.lassila@hus.fi