What does a low von Willebrand factor mean?

Von Willebrand disease is a lifelong bleeding disorder in which your blood doesn’t clot properly. People with the disease have low levels of von Willebrand factor, a protein that helps blood clot, or the protein doesn’t perform as it should.

What are the three types of von Willebrand factor deficiency?

There are three main types of VWD (VWD type 1, VWD type 2, and VWD type 3) each with differing degrees of severity and inheritance patterns. Unlike hemophilia which is characterized by joint bleeding, VWD is typically characterized by mucocutaneous bleeding.

What factor is associated with von Willebrand?

von Willebrand factor (factor VIII-related antigen) is a large glycoprotein that is present in the plasma and endothelium and binds to other proteins, particularly factor VIII, preventing its rapid degradation. It is absent in von Willebrand’s disease.

What clotting factor is von Willebrand?

Von Willebrand factor is involved in the early stages of blood clotting, and also carries the important clotting protein factor VIII. In people with VWD, the amount of Von Willebrand factor clotting protein in the blood is lower than normal or doesn’t work as it should.

Is von Willebrand disease autoimmune?

While the more common types of von Willebrand’s disease are inherited, it is also possible to develop the condition from an autoimmune disease such as lupus or cancer, or as a result of taking some medications. This is called acquired von Willebrand’s disease.

How do you treat low VWD?

Treatment options for patients with low VWF and significant bleeding phenotypes include antifibrinolytic agents, such as tranexamic acid or aminocaproic acid, DDAVP, and VWF-containing concentrates. Tranexamic acid has been widely used in the management and prevention of bleeding in VWD.

Is von Willebrand an autoimmune disease?

What is high von Willebrand factor?

Von Willebrand factor (VWF) is a plasma glycoprotein that acts as carrier for factor VIII. Elevated levels of VWF are associated with elevated coagulation factor VIII levels. An increased VWF level in plasma is found to be associated with VTE [4, 5, 11, 13].

What does elevated Factor 8 mean?

High levels of factor VIII are a risk factor for a first thrombotic event, but high levels also seem to increase the risk of recurrences,109 which may indicate that sustained anticoagulant treatment is needed in these patients.

How does von Willebrand Factor work?

Von Willebrand factor helps platelets stick together and adhere to the walls of blood vessels at the site of a wound. These groups of platelets form temporary clots, plugging holes in blood vessel walls to help stop bleeding.

What is von Willebrand’s factor deficiency?

It is characterized by the abnormally low production of a protein found in the blood called von Willebrand’s factor which plays a key role in the complex process of clotting a damaged blood vessel. Breeds with the severe form produce no von Willebrand’s factor.

What is the risk of bleeding from von Willebrand disease?

This is a very common disease and a very common mutant gene. Carriers of the mutant vWD gene are at no risk of bleeding from vWD, but of course, will transmit the mutant gene to their offspring 50% of the time. Roughly, the ranges of vWf factor levels are 5 to 20% for affected, 30-100% for carriers, and 50-130% for homozygous normal.

How is von Willebrand disease diagnosed in dogs?

The disease has been reported in many breeds of dog, and is generally diagnosed by an ELISA test for plasma vWF following a bleeding event. Five mutations have been identified that cause vWD in canines.

Can you use DNA test for von Willebrand?

Information You Can Use: VetGen’s DNA test results enable you to make informed breeding decisions to eradicate the vWD gene from your dogs. Type I von Willebrand’s disease in the above breeds occurs as the mild form, as distinguished from the severe form, which occurs in Scottish Terriers and Shetland Sheep Dogs.