title: Controlled vitamin K content diet for improving the management of poorly controlled anticoagulated patients: a clinical practice proposal.
abstract: The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of a diet with a known vitamin K content on the monitor test for oral anticoagulant therapy. We studied 10 poorly controlled patients (7 women and 3 men, mean age 48 +/- 15 years) in therapy with acenocoumarol for at least 1 year. Another group of 10 poorly controlled patients was considered as a control group. After a baseline period, during which a free diet was allowed, patients were administered a diet with a controlled vitamin K content; in the same period, control subjects were not subjected to any dietary restriction. Thrombotest (Nyegaard, Oslo) was employed for monitoring oral anticoagulant therapy, with a therapeutic range between 2.3 and 4.8 INR. We found a significant difference by thrombotest between the percentages within the therapeutic range obtained before and during dietary treatment (p = 0.0001). The difference in percentages was -0.31 and the 95% CI, of the difference ranged from -0.45 to -0.17. No significant difference was shown in the control group in the same periods. Our data suggest that a diet with a controlled vitamin K content is effective in increasing the percentage of tests within the therapeutic range in patients with poorly controlled anticoagulation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Internal Medicine, University of Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Sorano
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biondi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mameli
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Licheri
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marongiu
mesh_terms: D000074:Acenocoumarol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004032:Diet; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D014812:Vitamin K; D000074:Acenocoumarol