Capillary whole blood monitoring of oral anticoagulants in children in outpatient clinics and the home setting.
A whole blood prothrombin time/international normalized ratio (PT/INR) monitor (CoaguChek, Roche Diagnostics Corp., Indianapolis, IN) was assessed in children for its accuracy, reliability, safety, and acceptance by health care personnel and patient's families. The PT/INR values measured by the CoaguChek monitor showed an excellent correlation with PT/INR values measured by the Hospital for Sick Children (HSC) laboratory (r = 0.96) and Hamilton Civic Hospitals Research Centre (HCHRC) laboratory (r = 0.92) in clinic patients and a close correlation with PT/INR values measured by the HSC laboratory (r = 0.76) and HCHRC laboratory (r = 0.74) in patients at home. Reduced correlation in the home setting did not adversely affect clinical management. The whole blood PT/INR monitor is safe and accurate for children requiring oral anticoagulation therapy in either the outpatient clinic or home setting.
Marzinotto
V
V
Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Monagle
P
P
Chan
A
A
Adams
M
M
Massicotte
P
P
Leaker
M
M
Andrew
M
M
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000097:blood*; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D018575:Home Care Services, Hospital-Based; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009864:Ontario; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011517:Prothrombin Time; D014914:Whole Blood Coagulation Time
D000925:Anticoagulants