HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Crowther, M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Crowther, M. Topic Collections Related Article

An abnormal D-dimer test result indicated that anticoagulant therapy should be continued

Q In patients with a first episode of venous thromboembolism (VTE) who had received vitamin K antagonists for 3 months, does an abnormal D-dimer test result 30 days after discontinuation of anticoagulation therapy predict VTE recurrence?

Clinical impact ratings IM/Ambulatory care Haematology

Key Words: anticoagulants • fibrin fibrinogen degradation products • pulmonary embolism • venous thrombosis

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

METHODS
Design: randomised controlled trial (PROLONG study).

Allocation: concealed.^*

Blinding: blinded (outcome assessors {and monitoring committee}).^*

Follow up period: up to 18 months (mean 1.4 y).

Setting: 30 clinical centres in Italy.

Patients: 619 patients 18–85 years of age (mean age 63 y, 52% men) who had a first episode of symptomatic, unprovoked VTE, including proximal deep vein thrombosis of the lower limbs, pulmonary embolism, or both; had received a vitamin K antagonist (warfarin or acenocoumarol) for 3 months with a target international normalised ratio (INR) of 2.5 (range 2.0–3.0); and had D-dimer testing 30 days after anticoagulation was discontinued. Exclusion criteria were serious liver disease, renal insufficiency, other indications or contraindications for anticoagulation, or limited life expectancy.

Intervention: patients with an abnormal D-dimer concentration were allocated to discontinue anticoagulation therapy (n = 122) or resume anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists (INR 2.0–3.0) (n = 105). 392 patients with normal . . . [Full text of this article]

Mark Crowther, MD

McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Related Article

Other articles noted
Evid. Based Med. 2007 12: 63-64. (in ) [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]