Living on Oral Anticoagulants: Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale Results
Background: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are widely used in patients with atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism. The lack of the need for laboratory monitoring and a better safety than vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) has probably changed the quality of life of patients on these oral anti...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/24/7574 |
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| author | Antonella Mameli Alessandro Sestu Francesco Marongiu Doris Barcellona |
| author_facet | Antonella Mameli Alessandro Sestu Francesco Marongiu Doris Barcellona |
| author_sort | Antonella Mameli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are widely used in patients with atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism. The lack of the need for laboratory monitoring and a better safety than vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) has probably changed the quality of life of patients on these oral anticoagulants. This was a real-life prospective observational cohort study. The aim was to evaluate if a long-term treatment with DOACs could offer a better quality of life than VKAs. Moreover, age, gender, education level, time in therapeutic range for VKAs, taking medication once or twice a day for DOACs, the total daily number of medications and thrombotic and bleeding complications were considered as variables probably associated with the quality of life of these patients. Methods: Between January and December 2021, the Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale (DASS) 25-items was administered as an interview to patients on either VKAs or DOACs therapy. During the follow-up period, all of the patients were closely monitored to evaluate possible bleeding and thrombotic events. Results: The analysis included 300 outpatients treated with VKAs and 254 treated with DOACs. In general, the quality of life was better in patients taking DOACs (DASS total score: DOACs = 44.7, 42.9–46.5 vs. VKAs = 51, 49.2–52.8, <i>p</i> < 0.0001) as the daily-life limitations, hassles and burdens and the psychological impact were less important than in patients on VKAs therapy. Conclusions: VKAs negatively influence the daily-life of the patients in terms of both less satisfaction and time-consuming tasks. DOACs confer a better quality of life even if some concerns emerge from not knowing how their therapy is working. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:38:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-638a7b8178514a17a94cea1126a2d131 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:38:51Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-638a7b8178514a17a94cea1126a2d1312023-12-22T14:17:02ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832023-12-011224757410.3390/jcm12247574Living on Oral Anticoagulants: Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale ResultsAntonella Mameli0Alessandro Sestu1Francesco Marongiu2Doris Barcellona3Department of Internal Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, ItalyDepartment of Internal Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, ItalyDepartment of Medical Science and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, ItalyDepartment of Medical Science and Public Health, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, ItalyBackground: Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are widely used in patients with atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism. The lack of the need for laboratory monitoring and a better safety than vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) has probably changed the quality of life of patients on these oral anticoagulants. This was a real-life prospective observational cohort study. The aim was to evaluate if a long-term treatment with DOACs could offer a better quality of life than VKAs. Moreover, age, gender, education level, time in therapeutic range for VKAs, taking medication once or twice a day for DOACs, the total daily number of medications and thrombotic and bleeding complications were considered as variables probably associated with the quality of life of these patients. Methods: Between January and December 2021, the Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale (DASS) 25-items was administered as an interview to patients on either VKAs or DOACs therapy. During the follow-up period, all of the patients were closely monitored to evaluate possible bleeding and thrombotic events. Results: The analysis included 300 outpatients treated with VKAs and 254 treated with DOACs. In general, the quality of life was better in patients taking DOACs (DASS total score: DOACs = 44.7, 42.9–46.5 vs. VKAs = 51, 49.2–52.8, <i>p</i> < 0.0001) as the daily-life limitations, hassles and burdens and the psychological impact were less important than in patients on VKAs therapy. Conclusions: VKAs negatively influence the daily-life of the patients in terms of both less satisfaction and time-consuming tasks. DOACs confer a better quality of life even if some concerns emerge from not knowing how their therapy is working.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/24/7574vitamin K-antagonistsdirect oral anticoagulantsquality of lifeDASS instrumentthrombosis and hemostasis unit |
| spellingShingle | Antonella Mameli Alessandro Sestu Francesco Marongiu Doris Barcellona Living on Oral Anticoagulants: Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale Results Journal of Clinical Medicine vitamin K-antagonists direct oral anticoagulants quality of life DASS instrument thrombosis and hemostasis unit |
| title | Living on Oral Anticoagulants: Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale Results |
| title_full | Living on Oral Anticoagulants: Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale Results |
| title_fullStr | Living on Oral Anticoagulants: Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale Results |
| title_full_unstemmed | Living on Oral Anticoagulants: Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale Results |
| title_short | Living on Oral Anticoagulants: Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale Results |
| title_sort | living on oral anticoagulants duke anticoagulation satisfaction scale results |
| topic | vitamin K-antagonists direct oral anticoagulants quality of life DASS instrument thrombosis and hemostasis unit |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/24/7574 |
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