Clarification of Optimal Anticoagulation Through Genetics

The objective of the Clarification of Optimal Anticoagulation through Genetics (COAG) trial is to conduct a 1,022 participant, multicenter, double-blind, randomized trial comparing two approaches to guiding warfarin therapy initiation: 1) initiation of warfarin therapy based on algorithms using clinical information and an individual's genotype using genes known to influence warfarin response ("genotype-guided dosing"), and 2) initiation of warfarin therapy based on algorithms using only clinical information ("clinical-guided dosing"). The study hypothesis is that the use of genetic and clinical information for selecting the dose of warfarin during the initial dosing period will lead to improvement in stability of anticoagulation(AC) relative to a strategy that incorporates only clinical information (without genetics) for initial dosing. Each study arm will include a baseline dose initiation algorithm and a dose revision algorithm applied over the first 4 to 5 doses of warfarin therapy. By comparing the two strategies in this trial, the study will be able to determine if genetic information provides added benefit above and beyond what can be gleaned simply with clinical information. This study is a proof-of-concept efficacy trial. Efficacy is defined as a measure of whether, under optimal application, dosing algorithms will lead to improvement in care. The trial will thus answer the question: "can the use of clinical plus genetic information lead to an improvement in anticoagulation control above and beyond the use of only clinical information during the initiation of warfarin, when applied in a uniform and optimal manner to all patients?" Because efficacy has not yet been established for genotype-guided dosing of warfarin, it is important to first test whether this approach can, indeed, improve anticoagulation outcomes under controlled conditions.