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Thromb Haemost 1995; 74(04): 1055-1058
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1649881
Original Article
Clinical Studies
Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart

The Efficacy and Safety of Oral Anticoagulation in Patients with Cancer

Robert D Bona
The Departments of Medicine, Sections of Hematology-Oncology. St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center Hartford, CT, USA, and the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
,
Khalil Y Sivjee
The Departments of Medicine, Sections of Hematology-Oncology. St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center Hartford, CT, USA, and the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
,
Amy D Hickey
The Departments of Medicine, Sections of Hematology-Oncology. St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center Hartford, CT, USA, and the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
,
Donna M Wallace
The Departments of Medicine, Sections of Hematology-Oncology. St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center Hartford, CT, USA, and the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
,
Selby B Wajcs
The Departments of Medicine, Sections of Hematology-Oncology. St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center Hartford, CT, USA, and the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

Received 21 February 1995

Accepted 06 June 1995

Publication Date:
09 July 2018 (online)

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Summary

Objectives: To compare the complication rate (bleeding and thrombosis) of oral anticoagulation in a cohort of patients with cancer to a cohort without cancer

Design: Prospective cohort study

Setting: Outpatient anticoagulation clinic in a community hospital

Patients: Consecutive patients enrolled in an anticoagulation clinic: 44 with cancer, 64 without cancer

Interventions: Patients received prophylactic doses of Warfarin (target INR 2–3 in the majority of instances) and complication rates were assessed

Measurements: Major bleeding (strictly defined), minor bleeding, recurrent thrombosis, proportion of time with therapeutic INR, frequency of clinic visits

Results: The rates of major bleeding, minor bleeding, and recurrent thrombosis were not statistically significantly different in the two groups of patients. Therapeutic INR’s were more difficult to sustain in the cancer patients as compared to the non-cancer patients (43.3% vs 56.9%, p <0.0001). There was a non significant trend towards more frequent monitoring for the cancer patients compared with the noncancer patients (4.6 vs 3.5 visits per treatment month, p = 0.14)

Conclusions: Oral anticoagulation is safe and effective in the patient with cancer. It is more difficult to sustain a therapeutic INR in the cancer patients and they may need more frequent monitoring to achieve a low complication rate

 

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