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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2011 Apr;17(3):169-76.
doi: 10.1089/tmj.2010.0128. Epub 2011 Jan 23.

Home management of oral anticoagulation via telemedicine versus conventional hospital-based treatment

Henry Christensen  1 , Jens-Jacob Lauterlein, Patricia D Sørensen, Eva R B Petersen, Jonna S Madsen, Ivan Brandslund
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Home management of oral anticoagulation via telemedicine versus conventional hospital-based treatment

Henry Christensen et al. Telemed J E Health. 2011 Apr.

Abstract

Background and objective: We have developed an expert computer system for the control of oral anticoagulation therapy, accessible by the patients via their own computer. To investigate if the weekly measurement and dosing of international normalized ratio (INR) at home using the online Internet-based system was superior to conventional treatment, we performed a randomized, controlled trial.

Patients and methods: All 669 patients in our anticoagulation clinic were asked to participate in the trial, providing that they had Internet access and could use the CoaguChek XS system. A total of 140 patients were included and randomized to (A) once weekly measurement and report online, (B) twice weekly measurement and report online, and (C) continued conventional treatment with INR measurement in the lab every 4 weeks and dose adjustment by letter.

Results: Group A had 79.7% (95% CI 79.0-80.3) of time in therapeutic range (TTR), group B 80.2% (95% CI 79.4-80.9) of TTR, and group C 72.7% (95% CI 71.9-73.4) TTR. Groups A and B perform statistically significantly better than the conventional group C, with a difference of TTR of 7% points (p < 2.2 × 10(-16)), whereas no difference was seen between A and B.

Conclusion: Home measurement of INR and the reporting and dosing of results online once a week increase TTR from 72% to 79% as compared to conventional computer-assisted monitoring in an anticoagulation clinic.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
User interface for the AC anticoagulation computer system.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
The architecture of the AC anticoagulation computer system.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Identification of eligible patients and patient enrollment.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Percent time in therapeutic range in groups A, B, and C. The horizontal line identifies median time in therapeutic range with each approach.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

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