deamino-arginine-vasopressin and Arthralgia

A 26 year old woman presented to the accident and emergency department with a painful right elbow. There had been no history of trauma. Clinical examination suggested an effusion, which was confirmed on radiological examination. Her elbow was aspirated and revealed a haemarthrosis. Subsequent investigations revealed a diagnosis of von Willebrand's disease (vWD). A spontaneously occurring effusion of the elbow may be due to a haemarthrosis. Aspiration of blood in the absence of trauma may lead to a diagnosis of an occult coagulopathy in addition to relieving pain. The diagnosis and treatment of vWD is discussed.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Arthralgia; Deamino Arginine Vasopressin; Diagnosis, Differential; Elbow Joint; Female; Hemarthrosis; Hemostatics; Humans; von Willebrand Diseases