Background Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is an inherited bleeding disorder with different types. Clinically, the symptoms vary in severity and are related to either decreased production or dysfunction of von Willebrand factor (VWF). Although VWD has been reported in Iraq, studies concerning its epidemiology in our locality are lacking. Objectives This study aimed to identify the types of VWD and examine correlations between demographic data, clinical findings, and laboratory results for specific types of VWD. Patients and methods This descriptive, retrospective, registry-based study included children and adolescents with congenital VWD registered at the Center for Hereditary Blood Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, from 2008 up to December 2024. We analyzed demographic, clinical, and laboratory data in related to disease type. Results The types of VWD reported were type 1 (60.32%), followed by type 2 (23.8%) and type 3 (15.87%). The most common site of bleeding was mucous membrane bleeding, documented in 67.8% of cases, and this was statistically significant in type 1 compared with other types. Bleeding time and activated partial thromboplastin time (a PTT) were predominantly prolonged in type 3. Conclusion VWD is a common bleeding disorder with a wide range of bleeding sites, requiring accurate diagnosis to differentiate it from hemophilia in order to provide appropriate treatment. The present study provides new insight into the diagnostic and healthcare barriers affecting patients with VWD in Basrah. Improving diagnostic capacity and awareness represents a critical step toward better disease detection and equitable patient care.
Jaber et al. (Mon,) studied this question.