Initiation of warfarin therapy using trial-and-error dosing is problematic. our goal was to develop and validate a pharmacogenetic algorithm. in the derivation cohort of 1,015 participants, the independent predictors of therapeutic dose were: VKORC1 polymorphism −1639/3673 g>a (−28% per allele), body surface area (Bsa) (+11% per 0.25 m 2 ), CYP2C9*3 (−33% per allele), CYP2C9*2 (−19% per allele), age (−7% per decade), target international normalized ratio (inr) (+11% per 0.5 unit increase), amiodarone use (−22%), smoker status (+10%), race (−9%), and current thrombosis (+7%). This pharmacogenetic equation explained 53−54% of the variability in the warfarin dose in the derivation and validation (N = 292) cohorts. For comparison, a clinical equation explained only 17−22% of the dose variability (P < 0.001). in the validation cohort, we prospectively used the pharmacogenetic-dosing algorithm in patients initiating warfarin therapy, two of whom had a major hemorrhage. To facilitate use of these pharmacogenetic and clinical algorithms, we developed a nonprofit website, http://www.WarfarinDosing.org.Correspondence: BF Gage (E-mail: bgage@im.wustl.edu). CONFLICT OF INTEREST Dr Gage has consulted for Bristol-Myers Squibb on work unrelated to this article. Drs Rieder and Rettie report having applied for a patent (application serial no. 10/967,879) on the use of VKORC1 haplotypes and SNPs. The other authors declared no conflict of interest. NIH Public Access RESULTSIn the derivation cohort (N = 1,015), the daily therapeutic warfarin dose ranged from 1 to 18 mg/day. The mean age was 65 (range of 18−93); 83% were Caucasian, and 64% were male. The (geometric) mean daily warfarin dose was 4.8 mg ( Table 1). The most common indications for warfarin therapy were atrial fibrillation (N = 392) and prior venous thromboembolism (N = 376; 13 of whom also had atrial fibrillation). Patients in the validation cohort (N = 292) were younger, more often female, and had more often (77%) undergone joint replacement as their indication for warfarin therapy (Table 1).VKORC1 alleles were highly heterogeneous (Table 2), reflecting their original selection as common (>5% allele frequency), informative tagging SNPs (Table 2). 12 VKORC1 3673G>A was in high linkage disequilibrium with VKORC1 6853G>C (D' = 0.97). In both cohorts, all alleles were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Genotype data from all participants at Washington University and University of Florida have been submitted to the PharmGKB (accession numbers: PS207479 and PS207480 pending). Pharmacogenetic model developmentThe VKORC1 3673G>A SNP was the first variable to enter the stepwise regression model (Table 3); each VKORC1 3673A allele was associated with a 28% reduction (95% confidence interval 25−30%) in the therapeutic warfarin dose. Once VKORC1 3673G>A entered the model, none of the other VKORC1 SNPs was an independent predictor of warfarin dose. Body surface area (BSA) was the second variable to enter the model, and each 0.25 m 2 increase in BSA was associated with an 11% ...

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Background-Well characterized genes affecting warfarin metabolism (CYP2C9) and sensitivity (VKORC1) explain one-third of the variability in therapeutic dose before the International Normalized Ratio (INR) is measured.

Cytochrome P-450 2C9 (CYP2C9) polymorphisms (CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3) reduce the clearance of warfarin, increase the risk of bleeding, and prolong the time to stable dosing. Whether prospective use of a retrospectively developed algorithm that incorporates CYP2C9 genotype and nongenetic factors can ameliorate the propensity to bleeding and delay in achieving a stable warfarin dose is unknown. We initiated warfarin therapy in 48 orthopedic patients tailored to the following variables: CYP2C9 genotype, age, weight, height, gender, race, and use of simvastatin or amiodarone. By using pharmacogenetics-based dosing, patients with a CYP2C9 variant achieved a stable, therapeutic warfarin dose without excessive delay. However compared to those without a CYP2C9 variant, patients with a variant continued to be at increased risk (hazard ratio 3.6, 95% confidence interval 1.4-9.5, p = 0.01) for an adverse outcome (principally INR > 4), despite pharmacogenetics-based dosing. There was a linear relationship (R(2) = 0.42, p < 0.001) between the pharmacogenetics-predicted warfarin doses and the warfarin maintenance doses, prospectively validating the dosing algorithm. Prospective, perioperative pharmacogenetics-based dosing of warfarin is feasible; however, further evaluation in a randomized, controlled study is recommended.

IntroductionWarfarin sodium is characterized by a narrow therapeutic range (eg, an international normalized ratio [INR]) of 2.0-3.0), a marked interindividual variation in dosing requirements, and an increased risk of adverse events when the dose is too high or low. 1,2 To minimize the high incidence of such events, [3][4][5] particularly during the first few weeks of initiating therapy, 1,6 most guidelines recommend prescribing warfarin at or near the anticipated maintenance dose and then adjusting the dose by trial and error. 1,7,8 While algorithms for predicting this maintenance dose a priori have improved, [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] there remains little guidance on how this starting dose should be adjusted a posteriori based on the subsequent INR values. We hypothesized that use of genetic markers could help optimize these dose refinements.Two common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C9 system are associated with impaired metabolism of warfarin, [3][4][5][6]11,17 while SNPs in the gene for vitamin K epoxide reductase complex 1 (VKORC1) correlate with warfarin sensitivity and resistance. 2,[18][19][20] No prior study has examined the impact of these SNPs on warfarin-dose adjustments. Given the current knowledge about these markers, we hypothesize that for a given INR, a patient who is a slow metabolizer of warfarin may need a more cautious adjustment in their dose than a similar patient who is a normal metabolizer. Failure to tailor dose refinements during warfarin induction in poor metabolizers may have contributed to the 3-fold increased risk of (laboratory or clinical) adverse events among poor metabolizers in our initial prospective study of pharmacogenetic-based warfarin therapy. 4 The purpose of this study was to develop a dose-refinement nomogram to guide clinicians in adjusting warfarin doses. This nomogram would be similar to prior algorithms, 21,22 but will have 2 advantages: (1) it will allow for, but not require, a first dose that is tailored to clinical and/or genetic factors and (2) it will incorporate genetics and clinical factors that are independent predictors of how much the dose should be refined. 1,11 If successful, the proposed warfarin nomogram would simplify and standardize warfarin initiation. Patients, materials, and methodsThe study was a retrospective analysis of 2 cohorts of orthopedic surgery patients who had participated in 2 prospective studies of pharmacogeneticbased warfarin therapy. The Human Research Protection Office at Washington University Medical Center approved these studies. PatientsFor patients in both cohorts, we offered participation if they were scheduled for primary or revision total knee or hip arthroplasty at Washington University Medical Center and if they were 18 years or older. We excluded patients who had previously taken warfarin or who had contraindications to warfarin treatment. To allow time for genotyping, we also excluded patients scheduled for surgery fewer than 7 days following referral to our anticoagulation s...

Summary Background Obesity increases the risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE), but whether high-dose thromboprophylaxis is safe and effective in morbidly obese inpatients is unknown. Objective To quantify the efficacy and safety of high-dose thromboprophylaxis with heparin or enoxaparin in inpatients with weight > 100 kilograms (kg) within the BJC HealthCare system. Patients/Methods In a retrospective cohort study, we analyzed 9241 inpatients with weight > 100 kg discharged from three hospitals in the BJC HealthCare system from 2010 through 2012. We compared the incidence of VTE in patients who received high-dose thromboprophylaxis (heparin 7500 units three times daily or enoxaparin 40 milligrams (mg) twice daily) to those who received standard doses (heparin 5000 units two or three times daily or enoxaparin 40 mg once daily). The primary efficacy outcome was hospital-acquired VTE identified by International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9 diagnosis codes. The primary safety outcome was bleeding events identified by ICD-9 codes. Results Among the 3928 morbidly obese inpatients (weight > 100kg and body mass index (BMI) ≥ 40 kg/m2), high-dose thromboprophylaxis approximately halved the odds of symptomatic VTE (odds ratio (OR) 0.52, 95% CI 0.27-1.00; p-value (p) = 0.050). The rate of VTE was 1.48% (35/2369) in these morbidly obese inpatients who received standard doses of thromboprophylaxis, compared to 0.77% (12/1559) in those who received high doses. High-dose thromboprophylaxis did not increase bleeding (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.66-1.07, p = 0.15). Independent predictors of VTE include surgery, male, cancer, and BMI. Conclusions High-dose thromboprophylaxis nearly halves the rate of VTE in morbidly obese inpatients.

Background Initiation of warfarin therapy using trial-and-error dosing can cause bleeding. Clinical factors explain only 20%–30% of the variability in the therapeutic dose of warfarin. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) gene correlate with the clearance of S-warfarin and SNPs in the vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKORC1) gene predict warfarin sensitivity. We test the hypothesis that the combination of clinical and pharmacogenetic information can predict the therapeutic warfarin dose. Methods We collected DNA, demographic variables, laboratory values, and medication histories from patients taking warfarin. Subjects either attended an outpatient anticoagulation clinic or participated in the PREVENT (prevention of venous thromboembolism) study. After PCR amplification, we used Pyrosequencing® to genotype DNA regions for 2 coding CYP2C9 SNPs, *2 (C430T) and *3 (A1075C), and for 4 noncoding VKORC1 SNPs: C861A, A5808C, G6853C, and G9041A. Using multiple regression, we quantified the association between therapeutic warfarin dose and clinical and genetic factors in a derivation cohort of 900 participants and a validation cohort of 100 participants. Results The VKORC1 G6853C SNP was the first variable to enter the stepwise regression equation and was associated with a 27% decrease in the warfarin dose per allele in Caucasian patients. The VKORC1 A5808C SNP was associated with a 33% decrease per allele in warfarin dose in African-American patients. Other significant (p &lt; 0.05) predictors of the therapeutic warfarin dose, in order of entry into the regression equation and their effect on warfarin dose were: body surface area (+12% per SD increase), CYP2C9*3 (−33% per allele), CYP2C9*2 (−20% per allele), age (−7% per decade), target INR (+8% per 0.5 unit increase), amiodarone use (−24%), African-American race (+12%), smoker (+9%), and simvastatin or fluvastatin use (−5%). A dosing equation that included these pharmacogenetic and clinical factors explained 52% of the dose variability in derivation cohort and 55% of the variability in the validation cohort. Conclusions The therapeutic warfarin dose can be estimated from clinical and pharmacogenetic factors that can be obtained when warfarin is started. Use of this dosing equation has potential to aid in the prediction of an optimal warfarin dose, which may decrease the risk of bleeding during the initiation of warfarin therapy.

Knowledge of pharmacogenetics may help clinicians predict their patients' therapeutic dose of warfarin, thereby decreasing the risk of bleeding during warfarin initiation. Our goal was to use pharmacogenetics to develop an algorithm that uses genetic, clinical, and demographic factors to estimate the warfarin dose a priori. We collected a blood sample, demographic variables, laboratory values, smoking status, names of medications, and dietary history from 369 patients who were taking a maintenance dose of warfarin. Using polymerase chain reaction, we genotyped each participant for the presence of 8 polymorphisms in the cytochrome P450 2C9 system. Using multiple regression, we quantified the association between warfarin dose and all factors. Advanced age, lower body surface area (BSA), and the presence of cytochrome P450 2C9 *2 or *3 single nucleotide polymorphisms were strongly associated (P < 0.001) with lower warfarin dose: the maintenance dose decreased by 8% per decade of age, by 13% per standard deviation decrease in BSA, by 19% per 2C9*2 allele, and by 30% per 2C9*3 allele. Warfarin doses were 29% lower in patients who took amiodarone, 12% lower in patients who took simvastatin, 21% lower in patients whose target INR was 2.5 rather than 3.0, and 11% lower in white rather than African-American participants (P < 0.05 for these comparisons). An algorithm that included these factors and one of borderline significance (sex), explained 39% of the variance in the maintenance warfarin dose. Use of this pharmacogenetic model had potential to prevent patients from being overdosed when initiating warfarin: we estimate that only 24 (6.5%) patients would have been over- dosed by >2 mg/day with pharmacogenetic dosing compared to 59 (16%) patients who would have been overdosed if they had been prescribed the empirical dose of 5 mg/day (P < 0.001). In conclusion, the maintenance warfarin dose can be estimated from demographic, clinical, and pharmacogenetic factors that can be obtained at the time of warfarin initiation.