title: Mild bleeding disorders. A clinical and laboratory study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate in-vitro haemostasis in subjects with symptoms suggesting a mild bleeding disorder.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective study in which an extensive range of in-vitro tests were applied unselectively.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were referred from community-based practices and hospital outpatient services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-three consecutive patients were examined. Hospital patients with severe illness were excluded.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients presented with easy bruising (68%), epistaxis (12%), excessive operative bleeding (7%), menorrhagia (4%), haematuria (3%), dental bleeding (1%) and bleeding from other sites (5%). In no instance was the bleeding life threatening.
  
  
  METHODS
  Results of laboratory tests for patients presenting with the symptoms of a mild bleeding disorder were compared with the results for a healthy reference group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Abnormal results of in-vitro tests were found in 53% of the subjects. Thirteen per cent had a prolonged bleeding time, of whom the majority had abnormal results of other in-vitro tests. Von Willebrand's disease was diagnosed in 7% of patients, although only half of these had a prolonged bleeding time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abnormal results of in-vitro tests were prevalent among subjects with symptoms of mild bleeding disorder. Easy bruising was as powerful a clue as any other bleeding manifestation to the presence of an abnormal in-vitro test result.
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, Repatriation General Hospital, Heidelberg West, VIC.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Parkin
authors.forename: I L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Butcher
mesh_terms: D001760:Bleeding Time; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D004844:Epistaxis / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008595:Menorrhagia / Q000097:blood; D010979:Platelet Function Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values