Patients with monoclonal gammopathies of uncertain significance (MGUS) may develop an acquired bleeding disorder similar to congenital von Willebrand disease, called acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AvWS). In these patients, measures to improve hemostasis are required to prevent or treat bleeding episodes. We diagnosed 10 patients with MGUS and AvWS: 8 had IgGκ (3) or λ (5) MGUS and 2 IgM-κ MGUS. Three therapeutic approaches were compared in them: (1) desmopressin (DDAVP), (2) factor VIII/von Willebrand factor (FVIII/vWF) concentrate, and (3) high-dose (1 g/kg/d for 2 days) intravenous Ig (IVIg). In patients with IgG-MGUS, DDAVP and FVIII/vWF concentrate increased factor VIII and von Willebrand factor in plasma, but only transiently. IVIg determined a more sustained improvement of the laboratory abnormalities and prevented bleeding during surgery (short-term therapy). In addition to the standard 2-day infusion protocol, a long-term IVIg therapy was performed in 2 patients with IgG-MGUS: repeated (every 21 days) single infusions of IVIg did improve laboratory abnormalities and stopped chronic gastrointestinal bleeding. On the other hand, IVIg failed to correct laboratories abnormalities in patients with IgM-MGUS. These comparative data obtained in a relative large and homogeneous group of patients with AvWS and MGUS confirm that DDAVP and FVIII/vWF concentrates improve the bleeding time (BT) and FVIII/vWF measurements only transiently, whereas IVIg provides a sustained treatment of AvWS associated with IgG-MGUS, but not with IgM-MGUS. © 1998 by The American Society of Hematology.

Patients with monoclonal gammopathies of uncertain significance (MGUS) may develop an acquired bleeding disorder similar to congenital von Willebrand disease, called acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AvWS). In these patients, measures to improve hemostasis are required to prevent or treat bleeding episodes. We diagnosed 10 patients with MGUS and AvWS: 8 had IgGκ (3) or λ (5) MGUS and 2 IgM-κ MGUS. Three therapeutic approaches were compared in them: (1) desmopressin (DDAVP), (2) factor VIII/von Willebrand factor (FVIII/vWF) concentrate, and (3) high-dose (1 g/kg/d for 2 days) intravenous Ig (IVIg). In patients with IgG-MGUS, DDAVP and FVIII/vWF concentrate increased factor VIII and von Willebrand factor in plasma, but only transiently. IVIg determined a more sustained improvement of the laboratory abnormalities and prevented bleeding during surgery (short-term therapy). In addition to the standard 2-day infusion protocol, a long-term IVIg therapy was performed in 2 patients with IgG-MGUS: repeated (every 21 days) single infusions of IVIg did improve laboratory abnormalities and stopped chronic gastrointestinal bleeding. On the other hand, IVIg failed to correct laboratories abnormalities in patients with IgM-MGUS. These comparative data obtained in a relative large and homogeneous group of patients with AvWS and MGUS confirm that DDAVP and FVIII/vWF concentrates improve the bleeding time (BT) and FVIII/vWF measurements only transiently, whereas IVIg provides a sustained treatment of AvWS associated with IgG-MGUS, but not with IgM-MGUS. © 1998 by The American Society of Hematology.

Bleeding after dental extractions is very frequent in patients with von Willebrand disease (vWD) and in the past often necessitated transfusions with factor VIII/von Willebrand factor concentrates (vWFc). To evaluate the benefits of a standard local therapy on bleeding complications during oral surgery, 63 consecutive patients with vWD were analysed retrospectively. All types of vWD were included: type 1 (n=31), type 2 (n=22) and type 3 (n=10). All the patients had dental extractions or periodontal surgery at the same hospital by the same oral surgeons. All cases had been given tranexamic acid (TA) before and for 7 days after surgery. As additional local therapy fibrin glue (FG) was used during surgery in several patients. Additional systemic therapies were: desmopressin (DDAVP, 0.3 microg kg-1) and fVIII/vWF concentrates (vWFc, 40 U kg-1) given as a single dose before surgery. The 29 subjects (46%) treated locally did not bleed. Among the remaining cases, 24 (38%) were given DDAVP as additional systemic therapy and 6 (9.5%) received vWFc. There was bleeding after surgery in only two cases who had been given local FG (type 2 B) or systemic vWFc (type 3), but bleeding was stopped with an additional local application of FG. Our data suggest that a standard local therapy with TA and FG with DDAVP can prevent bleeding complications during oral surgery in the majority of patients (84%) with vWD and reduce the need for concentrates, with all their possible complications and high costs.