Diagnosis and management of von Willebrand disease in Slovakia

Abstract

Background: Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is a common bleeding disorder with prevalence in the Slovak Republic of 11.2 cases per 100,000 people. Methods: We conducted a retrospective audit of 610 VWD patients in Slovakia. Results: Care of local patients with VWD primarily occurs through our comprehensive treatment centre, although some patients are managed solely by their primary care physician or community haematologist. Type 1 VWD is the most common subtype, with more females carrying this diagnosis than males. Diagnosis and treatment in general follows guidelines outlined by the European Group on VWD, British Committee for Standards in Haematology and Slovak Society on Haemostasis and Thrombosis. An ongoing study “Genetic Background and Haemostatic Changes in the Patients with VWD” is currently enrolling patients with all VWD subtypes across Slovakia in order to better delineate the extent of VWD and correlate bleeding symptoms with laboratory findings and von Willebrand factor (VWF) sequence variations. Conclusions: VWD diagnosis and management is best performed through hematology specialists familiar with the complexities of this condition, such as those in the hemophilia treatment centres.