Lethagen S. Clinical experience of prophylactic treatment in von Willebrand disease.
Thromb Res 2006;
118 Suppl 1:S9-11. [PMID:
16616322 DOI:
10.1016/j.thromres.2006.01.021]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2006] [Revised: 01/16/2006] [Accepted: 01/24/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
The prophylactic treatment of bleeding in von Willebrand disease (vWD) has a long history in Sweden, having been first initiated in the late 1950s. The clinical experience of the prophylaxis of vWD in Sweden is described in the current review of a retrospective study of 37 patients from three haemophilia centres receiving prophylaxis for vWD. Prophylaxis with a plasma concentrate (fraction I-0 or Factor VIII) effectively reduced the median number of bleeds per year, prevented joint arthropathy in those who started prophylaxis at a young age, and improved the quality of life of all patients with vWD, particularly those with type 3 disease. This study demonstrates that the long-term prophylactic treatment with von Willebrand Factor (vWF)/FVIII concentrate (Haemate-P, ZLB Behring) in vWD is warranted in the majority of patients with type 3 disease.
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