title: Improvement in the regulation of the vitamin K antagonist acenocoumarol after a standard initial dose regimen: prospective validation of a prescription model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In a retrospective study we have developed a model which determines the dose of acenocoumarol based on the age of the patient and on the first INR obtained after a standard initial loading dose. The group of patients of this study was used as the control group of the present study.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to prospectively validate the model and to assess whether the use of this model improves the quality of the treatment in the 0-2 months study period.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 197 patients the model was evaluated by (1) in the initial phase: comparison of INRs with the control group, after assessing the dose according to the model, and (2) in the 0-2 months period: calculation of the percentage of time spent in the therapeutic target range compared to the control group. Furthermore, the eventual dose was compared to the dose of the model when the INRs were within the therapeutic target range for the first time and on two successive occasions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) When dosed according to the model, 50% of INRs in the total group were within the therapeutic target range compared to 45% in the control group, and (2) the percentage time spent within this range was 68 in the total group compared to 63 in the control group (P = 0.0013). When the INRs were within the range for the first time and successively twice, the eventual doses were similar to the model in 59 and 50%, respectively. About 20% of the patients did not achieve two successive INRs within the range.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using the model the quality of treatment improved. We advice to use a standardized individualized dose regimen at the initiation of vitamin K antagonist treatment.
authors.affiliation: Thrombosis Service, Department of Laboratory of Clinical Chemistry and Haematology, Jeroen Bosch Hospital, Helftheuvelweg 11, 's-Hertogenbosch 5222 AV, The Netherlands. j.vangeest@planet.nl
authors.forename: Johanna H H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Van Geest-Daalderop
authors.forename: Barbara A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Hutten
authors.forename: Nathalie C V
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Péquériaux
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.forename: Augueste
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sturk
mesh_terms: D000074:Acenocoumarol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D054796:Drug Dosage Calculations; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D006801:Humans; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D008875:Middle Aged; D055656:Prescriptions / Q000592:standards*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014812:Vitamin K / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D014812:Vitamin K; D000074:Acenocoumarol