Qualitative defects of von Willebrand factor are seen as a cause of gastrointestinal bleeding from angiodysplasia. Up to now, only few data from studies with small sample-size is available. In the present study 66 patients with gastrointestinal angiodysplasia and a positive (n=44) or negative (n=22) history of gastrointestinal bleeding were investigated. In 34.8 % of all patients a hint at a defect in the high-molecular multimers of von Willebrand factor was found, regardless of the personal history of bleeding. Patients with a history of bleeding were 10 years older (average), presented with a higher number of angiodysplasia, and were more often under a therapy with platelet inhibiting and/or anticoagulatoric drugs. In contrast to what was claimed before, most angiodysplasias were found in the (upper part of the) small intestine. Consequently, diagnostic of the small intestine is essential in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding and angiodysplasia.
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Qualitative defects of von Willebrand factor are seen as a cause of gastrointestinal bleeding from angiodysplasia. Up to now, only few data from studies with small sample-size is available. In the present study 66 patients with gastrointestinal angiodysplasia and a positive (n=44) or negative (n=22) history of gastrointestinal bleeding were investigated. In 34.8 % of all patients a hint at a defect in the high-molecular multimers of von Willebrand factor was found, regardless of the personal his...
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