Haematologica Reports 2005; 1(issue 4): 25-26
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Current treatment indications for von Willebrand factor
concentrate
Erik Berntorp
From the Department of Coagulation Disorders, Malmö University
Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
Transfusion with blood products containing factor VIII/VWF
complex is the treatment of choice for those patients (approx. 20%)
who are unresponsive to DDAVP. In developed countries, virucidally
treated concentrates of FVIII/VWF complex are today the mainstay of
replacement therapy in von Willebrand’s disease (VWD). The
treatment indication for von Willebrand factor (VWF) concentrate in
an individual patient has to be judged in the light of the severity
of the disease and the type of hemostatic challenge. DDAVP can be
used in many cases in connection with e.g. minor surgery, whereas
concentrate should be used in major surgery. Recent data shows that
the rate of biologic response to DDAVP is relatively low, not only
in type 2 but also in type 1 VWD (about 1/3), when uniform and
stringent criteria for patient selection and responsiveness are
applied.1[>Read full article in
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