Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE: Warfarin is a high-risk medication whose safe use may be greatly improved by patient education. This study evaluate evaluated patients' understanding of warfarin instructions, medication management, the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) warfarin medication guide content, and patient information recommendations. METHODS: Interviews conducted at 2 hospital-based outpatient primary care sites with patients initiated on warfarin therapy within the last year. RESULTS: Interviews were conducted with 49 patients. Seventy percent were between 36 and 64 years old and reported taking between 1 and 18 different medications daily. Many (76%) received information about warfarin when first prescribed to them, 65% written and 60% verbal (answers reflect more than one response). Patients found content in the medication guide difficult to understand; 18% were unable to identify information about diet and 21% were unable to locate information about when to call their provider. Analysis showed that 19% had trouble with numeracy issues related to warfarin. Patients' suggestions of ways to convey warfarin information included more graphics, in-person counseling, and multilingual translations. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates gaps in patients' understanding of warfarin therapy. Relying solely on the information in the FDA medication guide is insufficient to guarantee adequate understanding. Utilizing the suggestions from patients' feedback on other ways to deliver information should help future patients with different learning abilities and styles.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Salicylate poisoning is a challenging clinical entity associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. The indications for extracorporeal treatments such as hemodialysis are poorly defined. We present a systematic review of the literature along with evidence- and consensus-based recommendations on the use of extracorporeal treatment in salicylate poisoning. METHODS: The Extracorporeal Treatments in Poisoning (EXTRIP) Workgroup is a multidisciplinary group with international representation whose aim is to provide evidence-based recommendations on the use of extracorporeal treatments in poisoning. We conducted a systematic literature review followed by data extraction and summarized findings, following a predetermined format. The entire work group voted by a 2-round modified Delphi method to reach consensus on voting statements, using a RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method to quantify disagreement. Anonymous votes were compiled, returned, and discussed in person. A second vote determined the final recommendations. RESULTS: Eighty-four articles met inclusion criteria, including 1 controlled clinical trial, 3 animal studies, and 80 case reports or case series, yielding an overall very low quality of evidence for all recommendations. Clinical data on 143 patients (130 sets of which could be analyzed for patient-level entry data), including 14 fatalities, were reviewed. Toxicokinetic data on 87 patients were also included. After the second round of voting, the workgroup concluded that salicylates are dialyzable by hemodialysis and hemoperfusion (level of evidence=B) and recommended extracorporeal treatment in patients with severe salicylate poisoning (1D), including any patient with altered mental status (1D), with acute respiratory distress syndrome requiring supplemental oxygen (1D), and for those in whom standard therapy is deemed to be failing (1D) regardless of the salicylate concentration. High salicylate concentrations warrant extracorporeal treatment regardless of signs and symptoms (>7.2 mmol/L [100 mg/dL] [1D]; and >6.5 mmol/L [90 mg/dL] [2D]), with lower thresholds applied for patients with impaired kidney function (>6.5 mmol/L [90 mg/dL] [1D]; >5.8 mmol/L [80 mg/dL] [2D]). Extracorporeal treatment is also suggested for patients with severe acidemia (pH