Nathan Connell Reflects on the Impact of COCs on VWD Patients Compared to Healthy People
Nathan Connell, Clinical Chief of Hematology at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital, shared on LinkedIn:
”Navigating a bleeding disorder like von Willebrand Disease (VWD) can be challenging, especially when heavy menstrual bleeding is a major symptom.
Many patients use combination oral contraceptives (COCs) to manage this, but a key question has always been: “Does this affect my diagnosis?”
A recent scoping review and meta-analysis of 27 studies in Haemophilia Journal from Eve Justason, Anna Ishchuk, Benjamin P. Ott, Sophie Gibson, and Paula D. James sought to answer just that.
The researchers found that COC use did not significantly change von Willebrand factor (VWF) or factor VIII (FVIII) levels.
The meta-analysis of VWF% and FVIII% revealed no statistically significant difference between participants with and without COC use (VWF% Estimate: 2.62, p=0.4033; FVIII% Estimate: 2.99, p=0.4552).
These are important data for anyone who is faced with diagnosing VWD.
It provides crucial clarity by validating that COCs do not appear to interfere with the accurate diagnosis of VWD.
This is a vital piece of the puzzle for improving diagnostic certainty and ensuring appropriate management for individuals with bleeding disorders.”
Read the full article in Haemophilia Journal.
Article: Determining the Impact of Combination Oral Contraceptives on Von Willebrand Factor and Factor VIII in Healthy Patients and Patients With Von Willebrand Disease: A Scoping Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Eve Justason, Anna M. Ishchuk, Benjamin P. Ott, M. E. Sophie Gibson, Paula D. James
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