76814
document
Evaluation of three dosage-prediction methods for initial in-hospital stabilization of warfarin therapy . Three dosage-prediction methods for initial in-hospital stabilization of warfarin therapy were evaluated . Adult inpatients who had received warfarin sodium 10 mg daily for less than three days were eligible for the study . After receiving their third warfarin dose , patients were randomly assigned to have their warfarin dosages adjusted using one of three dosage-prediction methods : by analog computer ( n = 31 ) , linear regression ( n = 22 ) , or empiric dosing by the physician ( n = 34 ) . A prothrombin time ( PT ) ratio ( patient PT divided by control PT ) between 1.3 and 2.5 was considered to be in the therapeutic range . For patients who achieved a stable PT ratio ( defined as a PT ratio between 1.3 and 2.5 that varied by less than 0.05 on two consecutive days or by less than 0.1 on three consecutive days without a dosage change ) before discharge , the number of days ( time to stabilization ) from administration of the first warfarin dose to achievement of the warfarin dosage that produced a stable PT ratio ( stabilization dosage ) was compared . A total of 54 patients met the study criteria for a stable PT ratio before hospital discharge ( analog computer , n = 20 ; linear regression , n = 15 ; empiric dosing , n = 19 ) . The mean times to stabilization were 6.8 days in the analog-computer group , 7.3 days in the linear-regression group , and 8.4 days in the empiric-dosing group ; these times were not significantly different . All 20 stabilized patients in the analog-computer group achieved a stable PT ratio by the fourth dosage prediction . ( ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS )
76815
Intervention_Pharmacological
three dosage-prediction
76816
Intervention_Pharmacological
Three dosage-prediction methods
76817
Intervention_Pharmacological
warfarin therapy
76818
Intervention_Pharmacological
warfarin sodium 10 mg daily
76819
Intervention_Pharmacological
warfarin
76820
Intervention_Pharmacological
warfarin
76821
Intervention_Physical
analog computer
76822
Intervention_Physical
linear regression
76823
Intervention_Physical
empiric dosing by the physician
76824
Outcome_Physical
prothrombin time ( PT ) ratio
76825
Outcome_Physical
stable PT ratio
76826
Outcome_Other
number of days ( time to stabilization )
76827
Outcome_Physical
stable PT ratio
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Outcome_Other
stabilization dosage )
76829
Outcome_Other
stable PT ratio
76830
Outcome_Physical
mean times to stabilization
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Participant_Condition
Adult inpatients who had received warfarin sodium 10 mg daily for less than three days were eligible for the study .