Disease Directory Von Willebrand Disease
Blood

Von Willebrand Disease

Also known as: VWD, von Willebrand disorder, bleeding disorder type 1/2/3

Prevalence

Approximately 1 in 100 for all types combined; severe type 3 affects 1 in 1,000,000

Onset

Childhood to adolescence (often identified at first hemostatic challenge)

Type

Autosomal dominant (types 1 and 2) or autosomal recessive (type 3)

Gene

VWF

About Von Willebrand Disease

Von Willebrand disease is the most common inherited bleeding disorder, caused by quantitative (types 1 and 3) or qualitative (type 2) defects in von Willebrand factor, a multimeric glycoprotein essential for platelet adhesion and factor VIII stabilization. Type 1 is the mildest form with partial deficiency, type 2 encompasses several subtypes with dysfunctional VWF, and type 3 involves near-complete absence of VWF causing severe bleeding similar to hemophilia. Clinical severity correlates poorly with VWF levels alone and requires comprehensive laboratory evaluation.

Common Clinical Features

Mucocutaneous bleeding including frequent nosebleeds and easy bruising Prolonged bleeding from minor cuts and wounds Heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia) in females Bleeding after dental procedures or surgery Gastrointestinal bleeding, particularly in type 2A and 2B Joint bleeds and muscle hematomas in severe type 3 Postpartum hemorrhage Prolonged bleeding after trauma

Clinical Trial Eligibility Tips

What to know before applying to Von Willebrand Disease trials.

Specify your VWD subtype (1, 2A, 2B, 2M, 2N, or 3) as trials are often subtype-specific; bring VWF antigen, VWF activity (ristocetin cofactor), and factor VIII levels.

Type 2B patients may be excluded from some trials due to thrombocytopenia risk with desmopressin; document any desmopressin (DDAVP) response testing results.

Bleeding Assessment Tool (BAT) scores and bleeding history documentation strengthen trial eligibility assessments for novel VWF replacement or gene therapy studies.

Patient Resources

Patient Organization

National Hemophilia Foundation

Visit website ↗

Natural History Registry

VWD Connect Patient Registry

Join registry ↗

Orphanet

European reference resource for rare diseases (ORPHA:903)

View on Orphanet ↗

NORD

National Organization for Rare Disorders

Search NORD ↗

Find recruiting Von Willebrand Disease trials

Search 500,000+ studies from ClinicalTrials.gov, filtered for Von Willebrand Disease. Updated daily.

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