Evaluation of the effectiveness of DDAVP in surgery and in bleeding episodes in haemophilia and von Willebrand's disease. A study on 43 patients.

1-deamino-8-D-arginine-vasopressin (DDAVP), was used in a wide spectrum of clinical situations employing two different dosages (0.3 and 0.4 microgram/kg b.w.) for the management of 43 patients with factor VIII deficiencies--mild and moderate haemophilia A and von Willebrand's disease (vWD). In most instances, the drug was given in association with antifibrinolytics. Twenty-five dental extractions were carried out with two different protocols: one based upon a single infusion and the other based upon three infusions. Bleeding occurred in three patients regardless of the protocol used. The vasopressin analogue promptly stopped bleeding in 12 'spontaneous' open bleeds (haematuria, epistaxis, menometrorrhagia, gum bleeding) and it appears to be also effective in closed bleeds. DDAVP was used to minimize blood loss during surgical interventions and to avoid haemorrhage in the postoperative period. Nine surgical procedures were carried out in six vWD patients and three haemophiliacs. Bleeding occurred late in the postoperative period on one occasion only. No difference was demonstrated between the two doses of the drug either in terms of clinical benefit or rise of factor VIII coagulant activity. The efficacy of DDAVP and the absence of side-effects make this vasopressin analogue worthy of consideration as a reliable alternative to factor VIII concentrates in a wide variety of clinical situations.