Von Willebrand disease (VWD) may be caused by an impaired von Willebrand factor (VWF) synthesis, its increased clearance or abnormal function, or combinations of these factors. It may be difficult to recognize the different contributions of these anomalies. Here we demonstrate that VWD diagnostics gains from measuring platelet VWF, which can reveal a defective VWF synthesis. Measuring platelet ...

Aortic endothelial cells from normal pigs and pigs with von Willebrand disease have been established in long-term cultures. Both cultures appeared similar in terms of general growth characteristics, morphologic features and ultrastructure. Immunofluorescent staining of these cultures with chicken (or rabbit) antiporcine ristocetin-Willebrand factor sera (or IgG) resulted in extensive perinuclea...

Blood Transfus 2011; 9 Suppl 2:s3-s8 DOI 10.2450/2011.002S © SIMTI Servizi Srl von Willebrand factor (VWF) is an adhesive and multimeric glycoprotein that found its historical origin in 1924, when the Finnish physician Erik von Willebrand first reported a family with a serious hereditary bleeding affecting consanguineous families. The proband was a five years old girl with severe bleeding since...

Genetic analysis of von Willebrand disease by von Willebrand factor gene sequencing has not yet become routine practice. Nevertheless, the prospects for molecular diagnosis have changed dramatically in recent years with the unveiling of next-generation sequencing platforms. With the goal of applying this technology to von Willebrand disease, we designed a strategy for von Willebrand factor gene...

von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease (ADAMTS13) cleaves von Willebrand factor (VWF) and regulates its physiologic function. To investigate the relation between ADAMTS13 activity and VWF, we compared ADAMTS13 activity with the VWF-related parameters VWF antigen (VWF:Ag), VWF collagen-binding activity (VWF:CBA), VWF-propeptide, proVWF, and VWF multimeric composition in 10 healthy volunteers an...

tor gene in families with von Willebrand disease in the Äland Islands. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1993;90:7937-7940. 17. Eikenboom JCJ, Castaman G, Hans LV, Rogier MB, Rodeghiero F. Characterization of the genetic defects in recessive type 1 and type 3 von Willebrand disease patients of Italian origin. Thromb Haemost. 1998;79:709-717. 18. Casana P, Francisco M, Haya S. Q1311X: a novel nonsense m...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review focuses on recent advances in the use of immune-based therapy to treat patients with refractory and relapsing acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. RECENT FINDINGS Advances in understanding of the pathophysiology of idiopathic thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura have provided the rationale for immune-based treatment approaches to refractory and relapsing ...

INTRODUCTION Iliopsoas hemorrhage is a serious complication of bleeding disorders that occurs most commonly in patients with hemophilia and less commonly in patients with von Willebrand disease. It causes severe pain, muscle dysfunction and occasionally femoral nerve palsy. We describe the case of a patient with von Willebrand disease type 3 with a large iliopsoas hematoma who was treated with ...

Adhesion of erythrocytes to endothelial cells lining the vascular wall can cause vaso-occlusive events that impair blood flow which in turn may result in ischemia and tissue damage. Adhesion of erythrocytes to vascular endothelial cells has been described in multiple hemolytic disorders, especially in sickle cell disease, but the adhesion of normal erythrocytes to endothelial cells has hardly b...