Targeting Raised von Willebrand Factor Levels in Liver Diseases: Opening Up Newer Therapeutic Avenues

Abstract

Raised levels of the blood coagulation protein von Willebrand factor (VWF) are now recognised to be important in patients with liver disease. The markedly raised plasma VWF levels in patients with acute liver failure and acute-on-chronic liver failure may contribute to the pathogenesis of liver failure, and of multi-organ failure, by impeding microcirculatory perfusion in the liver and the other affected vital organs. In this review, the authors present a brief introduction to VWF biology, discuss the ability of raised plasma VWF levels to accurately predict survival in different syndromes of liver diseases, speculate why plasma VWF levels are raised in liver failure syndromes, and examine the therapeutic potential of VWF-lowering therapies in these scenarios.