von Willebrand factor: aging is better?

Authors: Goudemand, J; Susen, S.

Affiliations: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Lille, Haematology Transfusion, Lille, France.

Publication : Journal of thrombosis and haemostasis. 2023. 21. 3357–3359.

Abstract: Aging is a process that gives rise to a number of metabolic, molecular, and anatomical changes that compromise established balances. The regulation of hemostatic equilibria is no exception to the rule, and aging is therefore considered a powerful risk factor for thrombosis. On the other hand, von Willebrand factor (VWF) is a multimeric glycoprotein synthesized by endothelial cells and megakaryocytes that plays a pivotal role in normal hemostasis and thrombosis. Decreased plasma levels of VWF can induce bleeding symptoms, whereas increased levels of VWF and the resulting factor (F) VIII are associated with an increased risk of thrombosis. VWF displays an age-related increase in circulation and this progressive increase could be one of the key factors in the increased risk of thrombosis among the elderly. The age-related increase in plasma levels of VWF has been investigated in several studies involving a high number of healthy individuals whose extreme age ranged from 1 to 107 years. These studies have shown that the increase in VWF tends to occur later in life, starting after the age of 40 or even 50. Between the ages of 40 and 70, VWF increases by 18 International Units (IU)/dL every 10 years. The increase is significantly higher in subjects with non-O versus O blood groups, with the exception of centenarians in whom the difference between ABO groups is erased. It is also interesting to note that the difference according to ABO group does not exist in infancy until the age of 1.