title: Influence of warfarin on symptoms of fatigue: findings of a randomized trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some patients develop fatigue while taking warfarin, but causality is uncertain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess whether warfarin use is associated with fatigue.
  
  
  METHODS
  This investigation was a substudy of a randomized double-blind trial in 13 outpatient thromboembolism clinics. Subjects who had received one month of open-label warfarin therapy for venous thromboembolism due to a transient risk factor were randomly assigned to receive warfarin or placebo for 2 months and followed for another 9 months after stopping the study drug. Fatigue was measured using a Likert scale, and change of fatigue was measured by the patient's global rating.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 87 subjects, the overall ratings of fatigue were 0.1 unit lower (95% CI 0.6 units lower to 0.4 units higher) while taking warfarin. Global rating for change in fatigue intensity showed no increase of fatigue with warfarin use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The short-term use of warfarin was not associated with symptoms of fatigue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. michael.kovacs@lhsc.on.ca
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kovacs
authors.forename: Clive
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kearon
authors.forename: Jim A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Julian
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Douketis
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Demers
authors.forename: Philip S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.forename: Alexander G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Turpie
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Susan R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.forename: Paul V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Jeannine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kassis
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Geerts
authors.forename: Betsy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mackinnon
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ginsberg
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005221:Fatigue / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014859:Warfarin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014859:Warfarin