Low-dose oral contraceptive effects on thromboelastogram criteria and relationship to hypercoagulability.
OBJECTIVE: The study was undertaken to assess hypercoagulability, by using thromboelastography, in women who use low-dose oral contraceptives (OCs). STUDY DESIGN: Forty-three women using low-dose OCs (<or=35 microg ethinyl estradiol) underwent thromboelastography before starting OCs and again during the third month of OC use. Prior and 3-month mean values of four thromboelastogram parameters (maximum amplitude [MA], K time, alpha angle, and R time) were compared by using paired t tests. Comparison according to progestin type was also performed with unpaired t tests. RESULTS: Prior versus 3-month values for MA, alpha, and K were not significantly different (P values-K: 0.8; alpha:.34; MA: 0.49); power was adequate to detect small differences. The 3-month R time was decreased compared with pre-OC values (P =.025), although the magnitude of this change was not characteristic of hypercoagulability. Comparison according to progestin type demonstrated no difference. CONCLUSION: We found no significant trend toward hypercoagulability in women who used low-dose OCs and who otherwise had no known thromboembolic risks.[1]References
- Low-dose oral contraceptive effects on thromboelastogram criteria and relationship to hypercoagulability. Zahn, C.M., Gonzalez, D.I., Suto, C., Kennedy, S., Hines, J.F. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. (2003) [Pubmed]
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