title: Oral Anticoagulation: the impact of the therapy in health-related quality of life at six-month follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to study the changes in health-related quality of life from beginning of anticoagulation therapy to six-month follow-up, and to study associations of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics with measures of quality of life and general health status at six-month follow-up, in individuals using oral anticoagulation due to various medical indications for the therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  prospective study performed at a city in the state of Paraná, Brazil, composed of 78 patients. Measures included the Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale and the Medical Outcomes Survey Short Form SF-36.
  
  
  RESULTS
  mean age was 57 years (S.D.= 16) and 54% were women. Compared to the beginning of therapy, there was a statistically significant improvement in health-related quality of life at six-month follow-up. Linear regression analyses explained 32% and 30%, respectively, of the variance of the Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale and of the general health status. There was improvement in all components of the SF-36, except Mental Health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of oral anticoagulation therapy was associated with improvement in health-related quality of life in the first six months of therapy. This study is longitudinal and therefore, has fewer limitations than cross-sectional studies published to date in the Nursing literature in Brazil.
authors: Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, Brazil.
authors: Ariana Rodrigues da Silva
authors: AR
authors: Carvalho
authors: Márcia Aparecida
authors: MA
authors: Ciol
authors: Felice
authors: F
authors: Tiu
authors: Lídia Aparecida
authors: LA
authors: Rossi
authors: Rosana Aparecida Spadoti
authors: RA
authors: Dantas
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants