Thromb Haemost 2002; 87(02): 252-257
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1612981
Letters to the Editor
Schattauer GmbH

The Factor VIII/Von Willebrand Factor Ratio Discriminates between Reduced Synthesis and Increased Clearance of Von Willebrand Factor

Jeroen C. J. Eikenboom
1   Department of Hematology, Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
,
Giancarlo Castaman
3   Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center, Department of Hematology, San Bortolo Hospital, Vicenza, Italy
,
Pieter W. Kamphuisen
1   Department of Hematology, Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
,
Frits R. Rosendaal
1   Department of Hematology, Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
2   Department of Clinical Epidemiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
,
Rogier M. Bertina
1   Department of Hematology, Hemostasis and Thrombosis Research Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 18 June 2001

Accepted after revision 29 October 2001

Publication Date:
13 December 2017 (online)

Summary

It is often stated that a decrease in Von Willebrand factor (VWF), the carrier protein of factor VIII, results in a concordant change in factor VIII. Clinical data suggest that this is not always the case and we hypothesized that the ratio between factor VIII and VWF depends on the genetic defect that causes the VWF deficiency. We have analyzed the ratio between plasma factor VIII and VWF in several subtypes of Von Willebrand Disease and we show that the ratio is increased when VWF synthesis is reduced, but that the ratio remains one when VWF clearance is increased. These observations could be of clinical importance as an increased factor VIII/VWF ratio in combination with a borderline VWF level may indicate the presence of a true genetic defect, possibly a VWF null allele.

 
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