Performance of the Coumatrak system in a large anticoagulation clinic.

There is a need to monitor anticoagulation accurately, inexpensively, and rapidly. The accuracy and precision of a simple fingerstick method was studied in a large outpatient anticoagulation clinic using the Coumatrak method. The Coumatrak apparatus has been studied in the home setting, and three recent reports suggest that it is practical, accurate, and possibly superior to the standard method. These results differ from recently published studies. This technique was found to be less than acceptable in precision and accuracy. This method requires further study before it can be recommended for wide-spread use in making decisions for patient care.