The Lived Experience of People With Von Willebrand Disease

von Willebrand Disease (vWD) is an inherited blood clotting (coagulation) disorder characterized by a reduction (quantitative) or poor function (qualitative) defect of factor VIII (FVIII) and/or von Willebrand factor (vWF). There are numerous subtypes categorised as:

• Type 1: a quantitative defect characterised by decreased levels of vWF in the circulation. Many affected individuals have a mild bleeding phenotype but may have heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) and bleed following trauma/surgery.
• Type 2: a qualitative defect that is further divided into four subtypes
• Type 2A - vWF is unable to bind to form the large vWF multimers required for coagulation
• Type 2B - vWF has enhanced binding to platelet glycoprotein Ib (GPIb), causing rapid clearance of platelets and an associated thrombocytopenia
• Type 2M - vWF has a decreased ability to bind to GPIb
• Type 2N - there is a deficiency of vWF binding to FVIII
• Type 3: the most severe vWD subtype, characterised by complete absence of vWF production and an inability to bind with FVIII, resulting in a severely reduced FVIII level.

Acquired vWD can develop as an autoimmune disorder, as a result of cancer, some cardiac conditions or following of certain drugs. It will not be considered as part of this study.vWD is characterized by prolonged or spontaneous bleeding from birth. Affected individuals tend to bruise easily, may have frequent nosebleeds (epistaxis), may bleed from the gums, bleeding within tissues (haematoma), in the gastrointestinal tract (more common later in life) and joint bleeds (in Type 3). vWD causes prolonged bleeding following injury, trauma, or surgery (including dental work). Women with vWD can have prolonged heavy menstrual bleeding, they may also have an increased risk of excessive blood loss during pregnancy and childbirth.

The severity and frequency of the bleeding episodes in vWD can vary greatly among affected individuals, even within the same family. The bleeding phenotype correlates to some degree with the subtype of VWD, with those with the severest form (Type 3) having the most bleeding.

Treatment varies based on the diagnosis. In Types 1 and 2 vWD treatment is usually 'on-demand' (after bleeding occurs) with some patients receiving prophylaxis if they have significant frequent bleeding. On demand treatment may be with oral, intra-nasal or subcutaneous treatments or with intravenous infusions of clotting factor concentrates containing FVIII/vWF. This is the method of treatment for all bleeding and prophylaxis in Type 3 vWD, where for some patients, treatment may be given at home.