Von Willebrand Disease

Your healthcare provider will ask you to describe your symptoms. They may ask if you have biological family members who have similar symptoms or bleeding disorders. They may do the following tests:

• Complete blood count (CBC): This test measures the numbers of your red blood cells, the different types of white blood cells and your platelets. It also measures the amount of hemoglobin in your red blood cells. Most people with von Willebrand disease have normal CBCs. People with unusually heavy bleeding may have low hemoglobin and red blood cell counts.
• Platelet aggregation tests: Platelets are blood cells that help blood to clot. These tests measure how well your platelets stick together so they can help make blood clots.
• Activated partial thromboplastin time test (APTT): Healthcare providers analyze other clotting factors, which, like von Willebrand factor, are proteins that help blood to clot. A lower than usual factor levels mean it takes longer for your blood to clot.
• Prothrombin time (PT): This test measures additional clotting factors.
• Fibrinogen test: Fibrinogen is another protein that helps blood to clot.
• von Willebrand factor antigen: This test measures the amount of von Willebrand factor protein in your bloodstream.
• Ristocetin cofactor: This test evaluates von Willebrand factor activity.
• von Willebrand factor multimers: This test measures the factor’s structure.

Your healthcare provider may need to do several blood tests to confirm you have von Willebrand disease. That’s because factors, including hormone levels, may change your von Willebrand factor blood levels may change.

There’s more than one type of von Willebrand disease. Healthcare providers may do more laboratory tests to identify the specific defect. Here’s more information about von Willebrand disease types:

• Type 1: This is the most common type of von Willebrand disease. It affects 60% to 80% of people with the disease. People with this type have low levels of von Willebrand factor in their blood. They may not have symptoms. If they have symptoms, those symptoms are mild.
• Type 2: In this case, von Willebrand factor doesn’t work as it should. People with this type may have mild or moderate bleeding. About 15% to 30% of people with von Willebrand disease have this type.
• Type 3: This is the most severe form of von Willebrand disease. It’s also the rarest type, affecting 5% to 10% of people with the disease. People with this type may have serious bleeding issues because they have very low von Willebrand factor levels or they don’t have any von Willebrand factor in their bloodstream.