Effcts of Regular Follow-up on Quality of Life and Warfarin Effiency in Rural Patients

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the effects of regular follow-up and education on warfarin efficiency, satisfaction, and thequality of life in patients from rural areas.Methods: A total of 133 patients from rural areas taking warfarin were followed up for the mean of 17.4±0.5 months (mean age58±13 years, 72.9% female). All patients were educated and followed up by a single cardiologist prospectively. A list and an illustratedbooklet presenting foods that interact with warfarin and a follow-up chart were prepared for each patient. An illustrated scheme ofpills that were to be taken every day was prepared for illiterate patients. The international normalized ratio (INR) values during and1 year before the study were recorded from the hospital system, and the time in therapeutic range (TTR) was calculated. The DukeAnticoagulation Satisfaction Scale was conducted at the start and end of the study to determine patients’ satisfaction with warfarinuse. Furthermore, the Medical Outcomes Study Form 36 (SF-36) was used for determining the health-related quality of life (HRQoL).Results: A total of 45.9% of patients were illiterate, and 33.8% were primary school graduates. The median TTR during the follow-up increased significantly compared with the previous year [40.0 (IQR 36.5) vs. 62.1 (IQR 29.3); p70% increased significantly (36.8% vs. 21.1%, respectively; p