Comparison of Enoxaparin and Warfarin for the Prevention of Venous Thromboembolic Disease After Total Hip Arthroplasty. Evaluation During Hospitalization and Three Months After Discharge*

Abstract

Inpatient programs providing treatment with either enoxaparin (thirty milligrams every twelve hours) or adjusted-dose warfarin for a mean of 7.3 days afforded protection against venous thromboembolic disease, with overall rates of morbidity and mortality of 3.7 and 0.6 percent, respectively, and a very low rate of major bleeding complications (0.9 percent) for three months after total hip arthroplasty. During hospitalization, the patients managed with enoxaparin had a lower rate of venous thromboembolic disease than those managed with adjusted-dose warfarin (p = 0.0083). This benefit was lost after the medication was discontinued, with no difference in the prevalences of venous thromboembolic disease between the two groups at three months after discharge from the hospital.