Prophylactic von Willebrand Factor Therapy Reduces Bleeds in Patients with Severe von Willebrand Disease
- By BSTQ Staff
Prophylactic von Willebrand factor(VWF)replacement therapy significantly reduces the median number of bleeding episodes in 39 subjects severely affected with von Willebrand disease (VWD), according to new findings from the VWD International Prophylaxis Study. Patients experienced a median of 12 (range two to 54) bleeding episodes per year prior to initiation of prophylaxis, versus an annualized median of four (range zero to 24) bleeding episodes during prophylaxis with VWF (p<0.0001). Annualized bleeding rates were lower during prophylaxis for all primary indications, reaching statistical significance (p<0.05) for joint bleeding, epistaxis and gastrointestinal bleeding.