Von Willebrand Disease (vWD) In Malay Women with Menorrhagia

Von Willebrand’s disease (vWD) is the most common inherited bleeding disorder, found in approximately 1% of the general population. It is due to qualitative or quantitative defect of von Willebrand factor (vWF) causing impairment in the primary haemostasis. The main objective of this study was to detect vWD in Malay women with menorrhagia by using a panel of haemostatic profiles. A cross sectional study was conducted in gynecology clinic for the investigation of the unknown cause of menorrhagia. A panel of haemostatic profiles consisting platelet counts, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), factor VIII activity (FVIII:C), vWF antigen (vWF:Ag) and vWF activity (vWF:Ac) and collagen binding assays (CBA) were used. The results showed that all of them had normal screening tests (platelet count and APTT). The prevalence of vWD among Malay women with menorrhagia was 17.0%.They were classified as type 1(60%) and type 2 (40%). This high prevalence of vWD indicates that the investigation for vWD should be incorporated as part of diagnostic evaluation in patients referred to gynecological clinic with unknown cause of menorrhagia.