STABLE results: warfarin home monitoring achieves excellent INR control.

Objectives: Point-of-care, home international normalized ratio (INR) monitoring (patient self-testing, or PST) provides an opportunity to optimize warfarin therapy as demonstrated in randomized trials. This study sought to determine the quality of warfarin therapy as determined by time in therapeutic INR range (TTR) in patients who perform home monitoring outside of a clinical trial setting.

Study Design: Retrospective analysis.

A phase 1/2, dose-escalation trial of deferasirox for the treatment of iron overload in HFE-related hereditary hemochromatosis.

Unlabelled: Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is characterized by increased intestinal iron absorption that may result in iron overload. Although phlebotomy is widely practiced, it is poorly tolerated or contraindicated in patients with anemias, severe heart disease, or poor venous access, and compliance can vary. The once-daily, oral iron chelator, deferasirox (Exjade) may provide an alternative treatment option.

Personalized healthcare in clotting disorders.

In terms of managing thrombotic disorders, genotype-based individualized patient care emerged as early as 1994 when the association of factor V Leiden (G1691A), and later, prothrombin (G20210A), with thrombotic phenotypes were discovered. Since then, genetic tests for specific thrombophilic SNPs have been routinely incorporated into daily practices in both thrombotic risk assessment and clinical decision-making with respect to prophylactic anti-thrombotic therapy. Recently, the area of pharmacogenomics in major anti-thrombotic drugs, such as warfarin and clopidogrel, has been the principal driver for personalized therapy based on one's own individual characteristics.

Social and ethical controversies in thrombophilia testing and update on genetic risk factors for venous thromboembolism.

Over the past 20 years, the landscape with respect to evaluation of thrombophilia, the inherited or acquired tendency to develop venous thromboembolism, has changed dramatically. Increased knowledge regarding the contribution of genetic predisposition to thrombosis has raised several questions regarding screening, diagnosis, and management. In this review, we will examine these issues while providing an update on genetic testing for inherited thrombotic disorders.

Anticoagulation management: a new approach.

Anticoagulation therapy has been identified as an area in which new approaches to treatment and monitoring may allow for significant improvements in healthcare quality and costs. We evaluated the potential benefits of a new approach to anticoagulation therapy, utilizing decision support software, point-of-service testing, and workflow redesign. We performed an intervention study in the setting of a university-affiliated primary care clinic, involving 40 patients receiving chronic anticoagulation therapy.