Eliciting patients' preferences for elastic compression stocking therapy after deep vein thrombosis: Potential for improving compliance

Abstract

Background: Elastic compression stocking (ECS) therapy is used for prevention of post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) after deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Current evidence on its effectiveness is conflicting. Compliance, a major determinant of the effectiveness of ECS therapy, remained largely ignored in former studies. Objectives: To gain insight into preferences regarding ECS therapy in patients after DVT. Patients/methods: A discrete choice experiment was conducted 3 months after DVT in patients enrolled in the IDEAL DVT study, a randomized controlled trial comparing 2 years of ECS therapy with individually tailored duration of ECS therapy for the prevention of PTS. Nine unlabeled, forced-choice sets of two hypothetical types of ECS were presented to each patient. Data were analyzed with multinomial logit models. Results: The respondent sample consisted of 81% (300/369) of invited patients. The most important determinants of preference were PTS risk reduction and putting on the ECS. Patients were willing to increase the duration of therapy by 1 year if this increases the PTS risk reduction with 10%. Patients accepted an increase in the risk of PTS of 29% if they were able to put on the ECS themselves. Preferences were heterogeneous with respect to education level. Conclusions: Reduction of the risk of PTS and the ability to put on the ECS without help are the most important characteristics of ECS therapy. Physicians should pay considerable attention to patient education regarding PTS. In addition, patients should be supported in their ability to put on and take off the ECS independently. These rather simple interventions could improve compliance.