The role of Von Willebrand factor in chronic liver disease
Keywords:
von Willebrand factor, liver disease, cirrhosis, portal vein thrombosisAbstract
Patients with advanced chronic liver disease present alterations in all phases of hemostasis. Clinical evidence suggests a link between liver disease and changes in von Willebrand factor (VWF) which is supported by emerging mechanistic data showing a negative role of VWF in liver disease progression. Elevated VWF levels accelerate intrahepatic thrombus formation and therefore may be a determinant of disease progression. This review focuses on the clinical and experimental evidence supporting a link between VWF function and the progression of chronic liver disease. A comprehensive bibliographic search was performed using the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for articles published up to June 1, 2025. Search terms included combinations of: “von Willebrand factor”, “liver disease”, “cirrhosis”, “portal vein thrombosis”. VWF/ADAMTS13 imbalance correlates with severity of liver disease and poor prognosis in liver disease. Von Willebrand factor is a promising noninvasive biomarker of endothelial dysfunction and liver disease progression, as well as a novel therapeutic target.
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