Review: low-molecular-weight heparin prevented recurrent VTE more than oral anticoagulants in patients with cancer
E A Akl
Dr E A Akl, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA; elieakl@buffalo.edu
QUESTION
In patients with cancer and venous thromboembolism (VTE), is long-term treatment with low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) effective and safe compared with oral anticoagulants?
REVIEW SCOPE
Studies selected compared LMWH with oral anticoagulants (vitamin K antagonists or ximelagatran) for long-term treatment in patients with cancer and objectively diagnosed VTE. Outcomes were mortality, symptomatic recurrent VTE, major bleeding, and thrombocytopenia.
REVIEW METHODS
Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, and ISI the Web of Science (to Jan 2007); conference proceedings; reference lists; and the “related articles” feature of PubMed were searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs). …
