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    Poster Networking

    Platelet Disorders, von Willebrand Disease and Thrombotic Microangiopathies

    Poster Networking Session

    PB0837 - Analysis of the change in diagnosis of von Willebrand disease by region and economic status

    Monday, June 26, 2023
    18:30 – 19:30 ET
    Room: Exhibition
    Background: Von Willebrand disease (VWD) diagnosis remains a global challenge. Accurate diagnosis can be difficult, often due to complexity of the required laboratory tests. Other challenges include education, awareness, healthcare infrastructure, and availability of resources.

    Aims: To assess diagnostic capabilities and changes in VWD identification over the last 5 years, we analyzed the number of identified males and females with VWD, as reported to the World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) Annual Global Survey (AGS).

    Methods: Countries that provided demographic and clinical information on people with bleeding disorders in both 2017 and 2021 AGS were considered for this analysis.

    Results: There were 108 countries that reported the number of people with VWD (PwVWD) in both 2017 and 2021. Overall, there was a larger increase in diagnosis of females than males (difference of 10,303 and 3,829 respectively). This increase was evident in each of the income categories with the largest increase in the number of VWD in females in high income countries (Figure 1). In a regional comparison, Americas and Europe regions showed the largest increase in VWD in females with a difference of 5,456 and 2,309 respectively (Figure 2).

    Conclusion(s): The analysis of this data shows an increase in diagnosis of VWD over time. Diagnosis has generally been positively associated with economic status and this is evident through this analysis. In 2018 the WFH launched the Global VWD Call to Action to focus additional attention on raising awareness, increase diagnosis, and addressing the gaps in care for those living with VWD. Through this program and other international efforts, the diagnosis of VWD has increased, illustrating progress. Despite these increases, a large gap exists as many PwVWD remain undiagnosed, especially in low resource settings. Efforts in education and advocacy must continue to advance timely diagnosis and adequate care for PwVWD.