title: The problem of diagnosing von Willebrand's disease.
abstract: Diagnosis of von Willebrand's disease (vWD), particularly vWD Type 1, remains a clinical problem for several aspects. Its definitive diagnosis requires documentation of three factors: bleeding, low levels of qualitatively normal von Willebrand factor (vWF), and inheritance. In the absence of any of these factors the diagnosis may be only merely 'possible', or even unacceptable. Laboratory diagnosis of vWD includes screening tests and confirmatory tests. vWD Types 2 and 3 are relatively easy to diagnose and appear to be genetic disease of a single locus, the vWF gene. As new genetic and possibly non-genetic factors are discovered, the diagnosis of vWD Type 1 may become easier.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Hematología y Hemoterapia, Hospital Juan Canalejo-Teresa Herrera, La Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Batlle
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Torea
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rendal
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Fernández
mesh_terms: D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008487:Medical History Taking; D014842:von Willebrand Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014841:von Willebrand Factor