title: Inconsistencies in the planning of the duration of anticoagulation among outpatients with acute deep-vein thrombosis. Results from the OTIS-DVT Registry.
abstract: Three-month anticoagulation is recommended to treat provoked or first distal deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), and indefinite-duration anticoagulation should be considered for patients with unprovoked proximal, unprovoked recurrent, or cancer-associated DVT. In the prospective Outpatient Treatment of Deep Vein Thrombosis in Switzerland (OTIS-DVT) Registry of 502 patients with acute objectively confirmed lower extremity DVT (59% provoked or first distal DVT; 41% unprovoked proximal, unprovoked recurrent, or cancer-associated DVT) from 53 private practices and 11 hospitals, we investigated the planned duration of anticoagulation at the time of treatment initiation. The decision to administer limited-duration anticoagulation therapy was made in 343 (68%) patients with a median duration of 107 (interquartile range 91-182) days for provoked or first distal DVT, and 182 (interquartile range 111-184) days for unprovoked proximal, unprovoked recurrent, or cancer-associated DVT. Among patients with provoked or first distal DVT, anticoagulation was recommended for < 3 months in 11%, ≥ 3 months in 63%, and for an indefinite period in 26%. Among patients with unprovoked proximal, unprovoked recurrent, or cancer-associated DVT, anticoagulation was recommended for < 6 months in 22%, 6-12 months in 38%, and for an indefinite period in 40%. Overall, there was more frequent planning of indefinite-duration therapy from hospital physicians as compared with private practice physicians (39% vs. 28%; p=0.019). Considerable inconsistency in planning the duration of anticoagulation therapy mandates an improvement in risk stratification of outpatients with acute DVT.
authors.affiliation: Medical Department, Sanofi-Aventis (Suisse) SA, Meyrin, Switzerland.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spirk
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Husmann
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Willenberg
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Banyai
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Baldi
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Amann-Vesti
authors.forename: Iris
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kucher
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D018579:Patient Selection; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011331:Private Practice; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012042:Registries; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013557:Switzerland; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants