Diffusion of Use of Low Molecular Weight Heparin for Thrombosis on the Medicine Services

Thrombosis Clinical Trial

Official title:

Diffusion of Use of Low Molecular Weight Heparin for Thrombosis on the Medicine Services

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Active, not recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00203970
• Other study ID #: 10895A
• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Start date: February 2001
• Est. completion date: January 2024

Study information

• Verified date: May 2023
• Source: University of Chicago
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Observational

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this research is to gain insight into the way in which physicians adopt new practice techniques. In particular, we are interested in how medical innovations diffuse throughout social networks. We wish to examine the diffusion of Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH) use for Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) throughout the social network of general internal medicine interns, residents, and attendings at the University of Chicago Hospital. In numerous clinical trials, LMWH has been demonstrated to be as effective as unfractionated heparin as a bridge to long-term anticoagulation therapy with Coumadin, with the added benefit of early discharge from the hospital with easy dosing, no need for monitoring, and home therapy. A DVT critical pathway was established at the U of C in 1998, and LMWH was used off-label for that purpose beginning in 1997. However, it is unclear how quickly the use of LMWH was adopted by the physicians on the general medicine services, or whether there exists a pattern for this adoption.

Description:

The design of our study is retrospective in nature. We are interested primarily in the use of LMWH in patients admitted to the general medicine services between January 1, 1997 and February 1, 2001 with a primary and secondary diagnosis related to Venous Thromboembolism, including specific ICD-9 codes.

Using a data abstraction form, we gather the following information: 1) patient demographics, 2) identity of the attending, resident, and interns caring for the patient, 3) whether the patient had any absolute or relative contraindications for receiving LMWH, as delineated by the DVT critical pathway, including insurance status and 4)how the patient was treated for his/her condition. To examine whether the identity of the primary care physician affects whether LMWH is given, we also collect the name of the primary care physician if it is listed on the chart.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Enrollment: 645
• Est. completion date: January 2024
• Est. primary completion date: March 2001
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients admitted to General Medicine Services with a primary or secondary diagnosis related to venous thromboembolism

Exclusion Criteria:

• Non-General Medicine Services patients

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Thrombosis

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Observation
Using a data abstraction form, we wish to gather the following information: 1) Patient demographics 2) identity of the attending, residents, and interns caring for the patient 3)whether the patient had any absolute or relative contraindications for receiving LMWH 4) how the patient was treated for his/her condition

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	The University of Chicago	Chicago	Illinois

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Chicago

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	retrospective chart review to determine how patients with deep venous thromboses or pulmonary emboli were treated when hospitalized on the medicine services	Using the data abstraction form, we gathered the following information: 1) patient demographics, 2) the identity of the attending, resident, and intern caring for the patient, 3) whether the patient had any absolute or relative contraindications for receiving LMWH, as delineated by the DVT critical pathway, including insurance status and 4) how the patient was treated for his/her condition.	June 1997 to December 2000