Von Willebrand disease is inherited in which pattern?

Von Willebrand disease is inherited in which pattern?

• A. Autosomal dominant
• B. Autosomal recessive
• C. X-linked
• D. Mitochondrial

Answer: (A)

Von Willebrand disease is most commonly inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. One mutated copy of the VWF gene can cause a bleeding tendency, and both sexes are affected roughly equally. This pattern fits the typical presentations seen in type 1 and many type 2 forms, where the disorder appears in multiple generations and can vary in severity due to penetrance and expressivity. An important nuance is that the rare type 3 form is autosomal recessive, requiring mutations in both copies of the VWF gene and usually producing a more severe phenotype. X-linked inheritance would show a different distribution with more affected males and carrier females, while mitochondrial inheritance follows a strict maternal line. So, autosomal dominance best explains the common inheritance pattern of Von Willebrand disease.

Von Willebrand disease is most commonly inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. One mutated copy of the VWF gene can cause a bleeding tendency, and both sexes are affected roughly equally. This pattern fits the typical presentations seen in type 1 and many type 2 forms, where the disorder appears in multiple generations and can vary in severity due to penetrance and expressivity. An important nuance is that the rare type 3 form is autosomal recessive, requiring mutations in both copies of the VWF gene and usually producing a more severe phenotype. X-linked inheritance would show a different distribution with more affected males and carrier females, while mitochondrial inheritance follows a strict maternal line. So, autosomal dominance best explains the common inheritance pattern of Von Willebrand disease.