Clinical manifestations and complications of childbirth and replacement therapy in 385 Iranian patients with type 3 von Willebrand disease

Type 3 is the most severe form of von Willebrand disease (VWD) transmitted as an autosomal recessive trait. We collected data on the clinical manifestations of type 3 VWD by examining 385 patients from 300 Iranian kindreds, who were compared with 100 age-matched patients with severe haemophilia A. Joint and muscle bleeding was less frequent than in haemophiliacs, perhaps because factor VIII levels were in general higher (median value 4% vs. 1% or less). Mucosal tract haemorrhages such as epistaxis and menorrhagia were the most prevalent symptoms in VWD. Post-circumcision and oral cavity bleeding occurred frequently when prophylactic replacement therapy was not carried out or was inadequate. The course of pregnancy was usually uneventful, but increased bleeding occurred at parturition when affected women were treated with replacement therapy for less than 3-4 d. Ten of 385 (2.6%) of these multitransfused patients developed an alloantibody to VWF and 55% are chronically infected with the hepatitis C virus.