Document Detail


Dalteparin for deep venous thrombosis: a hospital-in-the-home program.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  9549534     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy, safety and cost savings of home treatment of lower-limb deep venous thrombosis (DVT). SETTING: A hospital-in-the-home treatment program. PATIENTS: One hundred patients with acute lower limb DVT (53 proximal, 47 distal), and no contraindication to home treatment, were entered into the program from March 1995 to February 1997. INTERVENTION: All patients received dalteparin, 200 units/kg subcutaneously, once daily for a minimum of five days, with commencement of oral anticoagulation (warfarin) on Day 2. Patients with proximal DVT had lung ventilation-perfusion scans performed and were admitted to hospital for at least 24 hours. Patients with distal DVT were discharged directly to home treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical responses and the results of sequential duplex ultrasonography at one week, one month, three months and six months. RESULTS: There were no major, but six minor, bleeding complications, two of which led to dalteparin being withdrawn. Sixteen patients had lung ventilation-perfusion scans showing a high probability of pulmonary embolism. All were asymptomatic, and follow-up for at least three months showed no symptomatic thromboembolic events. Duplex ultrasonography showed progression of thrombosis in the first week of therapy in 13.2% of distal and 2.7% of proximal thromboses. Thereafter, distal DVT improved at a much greater rate than proximal DVT; after six months complete resolution was seen in 60.7% of distal and 18.5% of proximal thromboses, respectively. Cost saving was $197 per bed-day equivalent compared with inpatient care. At 15 months' follow-up, swelling and/or pain was reported by 49% of patients with distal DVT and 66% of those with proximal DVT. CONCLUSIONS: Once-daily dalteparin therapy for DVT in a hospital-in-the-home setting was safe, efficacious and cost effective. However, DVT resolution is a slow process, with significant long term morbidity.
Authors:
S B Ting; R W Ziegenbein; T E Gan; J V Catalano; P Monagle; J Silvers; F E Chambers; S Ng; B P McGrath
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Medical journal of Australia     Volume:  168     ISSN:  0025-729X     ISO Abbreviation:  Med. J. Aust.     Publication Date:  1998 Mar 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1998-04-30     Completed Date:  1998-04-30     Revised Date:  2005-11-17    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0400714     Medline TA:  Med J Aust     Country:  AUSTRALIA    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  272-6     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Monash University Department of Medicine, Monash Medical Centre, Southern Health Care Network, Melbourne, VIC.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Ambulatory Care
Anticoagulants / administration & dosage,  therapeutic use*
Dalteparin / administration & dosage,  therapeutic use*
Female
Home Care Services, Hospital-Based*
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Prospective Studies
Risk Factors
Thrombosis / drug therapy*,  ultrasonography
Treatment Outcome
Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex
Victoria
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Anticoagulants; 0/Dalteparin
Comments/Corrections
Comment In:
Med J Aust. 1998 Mar 16;168(6):261-2   [PMID:  9549530 ]
Med J Aust. 1998 Mar 16;168(6):262-3   [PMID:  9549531 ]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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