Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Laboratory Testing for von Willebrand Factor Antigen (VWF:Ag)

  • Protocol
  • First Online:
Hemostasis and Thrombosis

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1646))

Abstract

von Willebrand disease (VWD) is reportedly the most common inherited bleeding disorder and can also arise as an acquired syndrome (AVWS). These disorders arise due to defects and/or deficiency of the plasma protein von Willebrand factor (VWF). Laboratory testing for the VWF-related disorders requires assessment of both VWF level and VWF activity, the latter requiring multiple assays because of the many functions carried out by VWF to help prevent bleeding. The current paper describes protocols for assessment of VWF level by means of VWF antigen (VWF:Ag). These assays identify VWF levels by quantitative assessment of VWF protein by means of immunological assays. The most commonly performed assays for VWF:Ag comprise enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and latex-enhanced immunoassays (LIA), as described in this chapter.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Protocol
USD 49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Abbreviations

EQA:

External quality assessment

TMB:

Tetramethylbenzidine dihydrochloride

VWD:

von Willebrand disease

VWF:

Von Willebrand factor

VWF:Ag:

von Willebrand factor antigen

VWF:CB:

Collagen binding assay

VWF:GPIb:

von Willebrand factor activity assay based on the binding of VWF to GPIb

VWF:RCo:

Ristocetin cofactor assay

References

  1. Favaloro EJ (2011) Von Willebrand disease: local diagnosis and management of a globally distributed bleeding disorder. Semin Thromb Hemost 37:425–426

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Federici AB, Budde U, Castaman G, Rand JH, Tiede A (2013) Current diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to patients with acquired von Willebrand syndrome: a 2013 update. Semin Thromb Hemost 39:191–201

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Yee A, Kretz CA (2014) Von Willebrand factor: form for function. Semin Thromb Hemost 40:17–27

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Favaloro EJ (2015) Recent advances in laboratory-aided diagnosis of von Willebrand disease. Expert Opin Orphan Drugs 3:975–995

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Favaloro EJ, Pasalic L, Curnow J (2016) Laboratory tests used to help diagnose von Willebrand disease: an update. Pathology 48:303–318

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Favaloro EJ (2014) Diagnosing von Willebrand disease: a short history of laboratory milestones and innovations, plus current status, challenges, and solutions. Semin Thromb Hemost 40:551–570

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Ni Y, Nesrallah J, Agnew M, Geske FJ, Favaloro EJ (2013) Establishment and characterization of a new and stable collagen-binding assay for the assessment of von Willebrand factor activity. Int J Lab Hematol 35:170–176

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Lippi G, Salvagno GL, Montagnana M, Lima-Oliveira G, Guidi GC, Favaloro EJ (2012) Quality standards for sample collection in coagulation testing. Semin Thromb Hemost 38:565–575

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Adcock Funk DM, Lippi G, Favaloro EJ (2012) Quality standards for sample processing, transportation, and storage in hemostasis testing. Semin Thromb Hemost 38:576–585

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (2008) Collection, transport, and processing of blood specimens for testing plasma-based coagulation assays and molecular hemostasis assays; Approved guideline 5th ed CLSI document H21–A5. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, Wayne, PA

    Google Scholar 

  11. Favaloro EJ, Soltani S, McDonald J (2004) Potential laboratory misdiagnosis of haemophilia and von Willebrand Disorder due to cold activation of blood samples for testing. Am J Clin Pathol 122:686–692

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Böhm M, Täschner S, Kretzschmar E, Gerlach R, Favaloro EJ, Scharrer I (2006) Cold storage of citrated whole blood induces drastic time- dependent losses in factor VIII and von Willebrand factor: Potential for misdiagnosis of haemophilia and von Willebrand’s disease. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis 17:39–45

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Woodhams B, Girardot O, Blanco MJ, Colesse G, Gourmelin Y (2001) Stability of coagulation proteins in frozen plasma. Blood Coagul Fibrinolysis 12:229–236

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Favaloro EJ, Mohammed S (2014) Towards improved diagnosis of von Willebrand disease: comparative evaluations of several automated von Willebrand factor antigen and activity assays. Thromb Res 134:1292–1300

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (2008) Defining, establishing, and verifying reference intervals in the clinical laboratory: approved guideline, CLSI Document EP28-A3C, 3rd edn. Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute, Wayne, PA

    Google Scholar 

  16. Favaloro EJ, Soltani S, McDonald J, Grezchnik E, Easton L, Favaloro JWC (2005) Reassessment of ABO-blood group, gender and age on laboratory parameters used to diagnose von Willebrand Disorder (VWD): Potential influence on the diagnosis versus the potential association with risk of thrombosis. Am J Clin Pathol 124:910–917

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Favaloro EJ, Franchini M, Lippi G (2014) Aging hemostasis: changes to laboratory markers of hemostasis as we age-a narrative review. Semin Thromb Hemost 40:621–633

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Nichols WL, Hultin MB, James AH, Manco-Johnson MJ, Montgomery RR, Ortel TL, Rick ME et al (2008) von Willebrand disease (VWD): evidence-based diagnosis and management guidelines, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Expert Panel report (USA). Haemophilia 14:171–232

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Laffan MA, Lester W, O'Donnell JS, Will A, Tait RC, Goodeve A, Millar CM, Keeling DM (2014) The diagnosis and management of von Willebrand disease: a United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Doctors Organization guideline approved by the British Committee for Standards in Haematology. Br J Haematol 167:453–465

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the following individuals: Current laboratory staff (Jane McDonald, Ella Grezchnik, Monica Ahuja, and Yifang Zhang) are thanked for their regular performance of the VWF:Ag ELISA assay in the Westmead Laboratory; Robert Gosselin and Dorothy Adcock are thanked for their critical review and feedback of the chapter text.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Haematology Department, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research (ICPMR), NSW Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia

    Soma Mohammed

  2. Haematology Department, Sydney Centres for Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research (ICPMR), Westmead Hospital, NSW Health Pathology, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia

    Emmanuel J. Favaloro

  3. Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Products GmbH, Assay Development, Marburg, Germany

    Jürgen Patzke

Authors
  1. Emmanuel J. Favaloro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Soma Mohammed
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jürgen Patzke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Emmanuel J. Favaloro .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Haematology, Sydney Centres for Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research (ICPMR), NSW Health Pathology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia

    Emmanuel J. Favaloro

  2. Section of Clinical Biochemistry, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

    Giuseppe Lippi

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer Science+Business Media LLC

About this protocol

Cite this protocol

Favaloro, E.J., Mohammed, S., Patzke, J. (2017). Laboratory Testing for von Willebrand Factor Antigen (VWF:Ag). In: Favaloro, E., Lippi, G. (eds) Hemostasis and Thrombosis. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1646. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7196-1_30

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-7196-1_30

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-7194-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-7196-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation