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Title: Low Molecular Weight Heparin Effective Outpatient Treatment for Deep Venous Thrombosis: Presented at AGS

"Low Molecular Weight Heparin Effective Outpatient Treatment for Deep Venous Thrombosis: Presented at AGS"

By Anne Jacobson Special to DG News WASHINGTON, DC -- May 15, 2002 -- Outpatient deep venous thrombosis therapy with low molecular weight heparin is a safe, effective, and low-cost alternative to inpatient treatment in patients aged 60 years or older, a new study shows. In addition, the cost of home treatment was approximately half that of inpatient treatment, according to F. Ortiz-Alonso, MD, of the Hospital Gregorio Maranon, Madrid, Spain, who presented the findings here Saturday at the annual scientific meeting of the American Geriatrics Society. The benefits of low molecular weight heparin extended beyond prevention of recurrent thrombotic events. "Patients treated with low molecular weight heparin are allowed for a greater level of physical activity and social function," Dr. Ortiz-Alonso said. With colleagues, he performed an observational retrospective study on consecutive patients age 60 years or older diagnosed with acute deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the emergency department of a university hospital. The study group consisted of 70 individuals treated as outpatients with low molecular weight heparin by an acute home care unit. The comparison group consisted of 26 individuals treated as inpatients. The study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of inpatient versus outpatient treatment by determining hospital readmissions, the frequency of major bleeding, and symptomatic recurrence of thromboembolism during initial therapy and three months after diagnosis. In addition, the researchers performed a cost analysis of the treatment in both groups. The researchers also measured baseline sociodemographic factors, functional status, and health status of the patients. Patients in the study group were younger (mean 74.7 years) than those in the comparison group (mean 79.9 years). Sex distribution, functional status, comorbidity, risk factors for DVT, and localization of DVT were comparable between the groups. Symptomatic recurrence of thromboembolism during the three months of follow-up occurred in one patient in the inpatient group and none in the outpatient group. Cost-analysis determined that outpatient treatment with low molecular weight heparin was approximately half as expensive as inpatient treatment. Overall, in elderly patients with deep venous thrombosis, outpatient therapy with low molecular weight heparin is safe and effective in preventing recurrent thrombotic evens and incurred lower cost, the researchers concluded.

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