Clinical experience with arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) in von Willebrand's disease and mild haemophilia.

The use of 1 deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDVAP), is reported in seven patients with von Willebrand's disease and mild haemophilia undergoing elective surgery. There were no haemorrhagic complications, and both the quality of the clot formed and the rate of healing appeared entirely normal in all patients. No patient received blood products. Local burning pain due to paravenous leakage at the infusion site in a single patient, and transient facial flushing in another were the only side effects encountered. In addition to the anticipated rise in F.VIII:C and F.VIIIR:Ag, shortening of the bleeding time was observed in all five patients with von Willebrand's disease receiving DDAVP. Three additional patients who received intranasal DDAVP showed an inconsistent response in the laboratory parameters measured.