Published Research on INR Patient Self Testing

Click for more detail and abstracts from the studies:

Effect on Clinical Outcomes

Self-testing patients were at a lower risk of death.

• Bloomfield, et al. "Meta-analysis: Effect of Patient Self-testing and Self-management of Long-Term Anticoagulation on Major Clinical Outcomes." Ann Intern Med. 2011;154:472-82.

Reduced Hospitalizations

Improved self-management of antithrombotic drugs, most notably Coumadin/warfarin, has the potential to reduce hospitalizations for adverse drug events in older adults.

• Budnitz, et al. "Emergency Hospitalizations for Adverse Drug Events in Older Americans." New England Journal of Medicine. 2011;365:2002-12.

The Home INR Study

A high percentage of patients are able to successfully learn how to perform home INR testing and are able to maintain that capability over time.

• Matchar, et al. "Effect of Home Testing of International Normalized Ratio on Clinical Events." New England Journal of Medicine. 2010;363:1608-20.

Self Monitoring Meta-Analysis

Self-testing patients were at lower risk of complications.

• Heneghan C, et al. "Self-monitoring of oral anticoagulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis." Lancet. 2006; 367:404-11.

More Time in Therapeutic Range (TTR)

Patients who self-tested their INR were in therapeutic range for more time than patients who tested their INR in a lab or clinic.

• Beyth RJ, et al. "A multicomponent intervention to prevent major bleeding complications in older patients receiving warfarin." Ann Intern Med. 2000;133:687-695.

Heart Valve Replacement

Self-Management of Oral Anticoagulation Therapy Improves Long-Term Survival in Patients with Mechanical Heart Valve Replacement.

• Koertke H, et al. "Self-Management of Oral Anticoagulation Therapy Improves Long-Term Survival in Patients with Mechanical Heart Valve Replacement." Ann Thorac Surg. 2007;83:24-9.

Lowered Risk

An analysis of studies on patient self-testing (PST) revealed that “patients capable of self-monitoring their warfarin therapy could benefit from a one-third reduction in death from all causes.”

• Heneghan C, et al. "Self-monitoring of oral anticoagulation: a systematic review and meta-analysis." Lancet. 2006; 367:404-11.