Double blind study of the effect of glafenine (Glifanan) on oral anticoagulant therapy with phenprocoumon (Marcumar)

Abstract

The interaction between phenprocoumon (Marcumar) and glafenine (Glifanan) was investigated in a double blind study of twenty patients receiving long term treatment with phenprocoumon. Thrombotesttime (TT) values had been stable for more than three months before the study. Patients taking glafenine showed a significant increase in TT during the second and third week of the trial (P less than 0.05) compared with the placebo group. tthe increase in TT was not significant in the fourth week. The average concentrations of phenprocoumon were similar in both groups, which suggests that displacement of the drug from binding was not important. Concentrations of clotting factors II, VII and X showed a decrease in all patients at the time of the maximum TT values. A possible explanation for this interaction is discussed, but the mechanism remains uncertain.