Idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension – a unrecognized cause of high‐shear high‐flow haemostatic defects (otherwise referred to as acquired von Willebrand syndrome) in children

Abstract

Acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AVWS) is reported in high-flow high-shear congenital cardiac disorders. We hypothesized that the narrowed pulmonary vasculature in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) may induce AVWS. We conducted a cross-sectional evaluation of children with IPAH. Patients with bleeding symptoms and/or laboratory abnormalities (thrombocytopenia, anomalies in coagulation screening tests) were tested in-depth for haemostatic defects. Fourteen children were followed with IPAH of which 8 were eligible. Four children exhibited abnormal bleeding scores (International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis Bleeding Assessment Tool: 3-5). All 8 patients showed very prolonged platelet function analyser (PFA)-100 closure times. Six children demonstrated either mild thrombocytopenia or low-normal von Willebrand factor (VWF) antigen (VWF:Ag) or VWF activity [mean (range), in iu/dl: VWF:Ag: 70 (61-91); VWF activity: 57 (34-70)]. Average VWF collagen binding capacity (VWF:CB) was 64 iu/dl (range: 53-123 iu/dl), with low-normal VWF activity/VWF:Ag or VWF:CB/VWF:Ag ratios occurring in five patients. All children had normal multimers distribution patterns. One patient underwent a lung transplantation, with normalization of haemostatic abnormalities post-surgery. Overall, 8 out of 14 children with IPAH had mild to moderate bleeding symptoms and/or laboratory abnormalities in keeping with AVWS. Normalization of the haemostatic defects following lung transplantation and lack of family history of bleeding attests to the acquired nature of their defects.