Patient-reported treatment satisfaction measures for long-term anticoagulant therapy

Abstract

A comprehensive literature search identified seven instruments, of which three had psychometric data available. These were the ‘Sawicki instrument’, the Duke Anticoagulation Satisfaction Scale (DASS) and Deep Vein Thrombosis Quality of Life (DVTQoL). Sawicki assessed five domains with acceptable internal reliability. The six DVTQoL domains had good internal consistency, construct validity and reliability, although test–retest reliability and responsiveness have not been published. The DASS instrument covers three dimensions: limitations, burdens (i.e., negative impacts) and positive impacts. The burdens dimension correlated with short form-36 generic scales. The DASS had good internal consistency and item variability, and acceptable test–retest reliability and scale structure. DASS has the potential to help identify reasons for dissatisfaction and poor compliance across multiple models of care. Oral anticoagulation with vitamin K antagonists affects patients’ quality of life, and is further complicated by variations in compliance and ability to self-manage anticoagulation. This paper reviews instruments designed specifically to assess treatment satisfaction in patients receiving oral anticoagulation.

Keywords::

• anticoagulant
• atrial fibrillation
• coumarin
• patient-reported outcome
• thromboembolism
• treatment satisfaction
• venous thrombosis
• warfarin

Acknowledgements

All authors were involved in the review of literature, writing of the manuscript and final proofreading of the article. We thank Greg Samsa for his input on an early draft.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

Annabelle Shakespeare is an employee of Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals. Miranda Murray was employed by Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals during the conduct of this study. Matthew Reaney and Robyn von Maltzahn were employed by Oxford Outcomes Ltd during the conduct of this study. Funding for this study was provided by Bayer HealthCare.

The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript. The authors wish to acknowledge Seamus McMillan who provided medical writing assistance with funding from Bayer HealthCare.