Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The natural history of occult or angiodysplastic gastrointestinal bleeding in von Willebrand disease

Makris, M. ; Federici, A. B. ; Mannucci, P. M. ; Bolton-Maggs, P. H. B. ; Yee, T. T. ; Abshire, T. and Berntorp, Erik LU (2015) In Haemophilia 21(3). p.338-342
Abstract
Recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding is one of the most challenging complications encountered in the management of patients with von Willebrand disease (VWD). The commonest cause is angiodysplasia, but often no cause is identified due to the difficulty in making the diagnosis. The optimal treatment to prevent recurrences remains unknown. We performed a retrospective study of VWD patients with occult or angiodysplastic bleeding within the setting of the von Willebrand Disease Prophylaxis Network (VWD PN) to describe diagnostic and treatment strategies. Centres participating in the VWD PN recruited subjects under their care with a history of congenital VWD and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding due to angiodysplasia, or cases in which the cause... (More)
Recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding is one of the most challenging complications encountered in the management of patients with von Willebrand disease (VWD). The commonest cause is angiodysplasia, but often no cause is identified due to the difficulty in making the diagnosis. The optimal treatment to prevent recurrences remains unknown. We performed a retrospective study of VWD patients with occult or angiodysplastic bleeding within the setting of the von Willebrand Disease Prophylaxis Network (VWD PN) to describe diagnostic and treatment strategies. Centres participating in the VWD PN recruited subjects under their care with a history of congenital VWD and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding due to angiodysplasia, or cases in which the cause was not identified despite investigation. Patients with acquired von Willebrand syndrome or those for whom the GI bleeding was due to another cause were excluded. Forty-eight patients from 18 centres in 10 countries were recruited. Seven individuals had a family history of GI bleeding and all VWD types except 2N were represented. Angiodysplasia was confirmed in 38%, with video capsule endoscopy and GI tract endoscopies being the most common methods of making the diagnosis. Recurrent GI bleeding in VWD is associated with significant morbidity and required hospital admission on up to 30 occasions. Patients were treated with multiple pharmacological agents with prophylactic von Willebrand factor concentrate being the most efficient in preventing recurrence of the GI bleeding. The diagnosis and treatment of recurrent GI bleeding in congenital VWD remains challenging and is associated with significant morbidity. Prophylactic treatment with von Willebrand factor concentrate was the most effective method of preventing recurrent bleeding but its efficacy remains to be confirmed in a prospective study. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
angiodysplasia, gastrointestinal bleeding, thalidomide, von Willebrand, disease
in
Haemophilia
volume
21
issue
3
pages
338 - 342
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000354025900074
  • scopus:84928819019
  • pmid:25381842
ISSN
1351-8216
DOI
10.1111/hae.12571
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
dd23921c-c061-4a28-b13a-87f263e8385b (old id 7432495)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:09:34
date last changed
2022-08-05 03:44:44
@article{dd23921c-c061-4a28-b13a-87f263e8385b,
  abstract     = {{Recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding is one of the most challenging complications encountered in the management of patients with von Willebrand disease (VWD). The commonest cause is angiodysplasia, but often no cause is identified due to the difficulty in making the diagnosis. The optimal treatment to prevent recurrences remains unknown. We performed a retrospective study of VWD patients with occult or angiodysplastic bleeding within the setting of the von Willebrand Disease Prophylaxis Network (VWD PN) to describe diagnostic and treatment strategies. Centres participating in the VWD PN recruited subjects under their care with a history of congenital VWD and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding due to angiodysplasia, or cases in which the cause was not identified despite investigation. Patients with acquired von Willebrand syndrome or those for whom the GI bleeding was due to another cause were excluded. Forty-eight patients from 18 centres in 10 countries were recruited. Seven individuals had a family history of GI bleeding and all VWD types except 2N were represented. Angiodysplasia was confirmed in 38%, with video capsule endoscopy and GI tract endoscopies being the most common methods of making the diagnosis. Recurrent GI bleeding in VWD is associated with significant morbidity and required hospital admission on up to 30 occasions. Patients were treated with multiple pharmacological agents with prophylactic von Willebrand factor concentrate being the most efficient in preventing recurrence of the GI bleeding. The diagnosis and treatment of recurrent GI bleeding in congenital VWD remains challenging and is associated with significant morbidity. Prophylactic treatment with von Willebrand factor concentrate was the most effective method of preventing recurrent bleeding but its efficacy remains to be confirmed in a prospective study.}},
  author       = {{Makris, M. and Federici, A. B. and Mannucci, P. M. and Bolton-Maggs, P. H. B. and Yee, T. T. and Abshire, T. and Berntorp, Erik}},
  issn         = {{1351-8216}},
  keywords     = {{angiodysplasia; gastrointestinal bleeding; thalidomide; von Willebrand; disease}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{338--342}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{Haemophilia}},
  title        = {{The natural history of occult or angiodysplastic gastrointestinal bleeding in von Willebrand disease}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hae.12571}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/hae.12571}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}