Antihemophilic factor concentrate therapy in von Willebrand disease. Dissociation of bleeding-time factor and ristocetin-cofactor activities
P. M. Blatt, K. M. Brinkhous, H. R. Culp, J. S. Krauss and H. R. Roberts
Treatment of von Willebrand disease with two plasma antihemophilic factor
(AHF) concentrates, cryoprecipitate and glycine-precipitated AHF, was
compared. Both concentrates were equally effective in immediately raising
the plasma levels of factor VIII, the factor VIII-related antigen, and the
ristocetin-related von Willebrand factor (vWF) and in stimulating a
secondary rise in plasma factor VIII. Given either concentrate, the vWF
activity, the antigen, and factor VIII levels were normalized in a patient
with von Willebrand disease. However, correction of the prolonged bleeding
time and control of bleeding occurred only with the cryoprecipitate. The
bleeding-time corrective factor and the ristocetin-related vWF or
platelet-aggregating factor are dissociable, distinct activites.
