title: Antithrombin III (ATIII) activity in plasmas from normal and diseased horses, and in normal canine, bovine and human plasmas.
abstract: Plasma Antithrombin III (ATIII) activity was quantitated in 24 clinically normal Standardbred/Thoroughbred horses using a clotting time technique. ATIII activity ranged from 80 to 106% of the pooled reference standard plasma, with a mean of 94%. Horses presenting with impaction or spasmotic colic (n=17) had normal plasma ATIII activity, while 15 horses presenting with acute diarrhea/colitis had significantly lower plasma ATIII activity with a mean of only 74% of the reference plasma. Seven horses presenting with liver disease had significantly higher plasma ATIII activity with a range of 127 to 177% of the pooled reference plasma. Fifty-seven equine plasmas were retested using a rapid chromogenic substrate technique for quantitating plasma ATIII activity. A good correlation (r =+0.83) existed between clotting time and chromogenic determinations of ATIII. Pooled normal canine, human and bovine plasmas had only 65, 62 and 79%, respectively, of the ATIII activity of the equine reference plasma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: I B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Johnstone
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crane