title: Hemostatic biomarkers in dogs with chronic congestive heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic congestive heart failure (CHF) in humans is associated with abnormal hemostasis, and abnormalities in hemostatic biomarkers carry a poor prognosis. Alterations in hemostatic pathways can be involved in the pathogenesis of CHF in dogs, and microthrombosis in the myocardium could contribute to increased mortality.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  That plasma concentration or activity of hemostatic biomarkers is altered in dogs with CHF and that these factors predict mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four dogs with CHF caused by either dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM, n=14) or degenerative valvular disease (CDVD, n=20) compared with 23 healthy age-matched control dogs were included in this study. Dogs with CHF were recruited from 2 referral cardiology clinics, and control dogs were owned by friends or colleagues of the investigators.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical examination and echocardiography were performed in all dogs. Plasma fibrinogen and D-dimer concentrations, antithrombin and protein C activity, and thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT) were measured in all dogs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Dogs with CHF had significantly higher fibrinogen (P = .04), D-dimer (P = .002), and TAT concentration (P < .0001), lower antithrombin (P < .0001) and protein C activity (P < .001) compared with control dogs. None of the hemostatic biomarkers were associated with risk of death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is evidence of a procoagulant state in dogs with CHF. The lack of predictive value for survival might be due to the small number of dogs examined. Further studies are necessary to investigate the presence and importance of microthrombosis in dogs with CHF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Animal and Veterinary Sciences, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg, Denmark. int@kvl.dk
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tarnow
authors.forename: Torkel
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Falk
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tidholm
authors.forename: Torben
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Martinussen
authors.forename: Asger L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Lisbeth H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: Henrik D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Annemarie T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Kristensen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000990:Antithrombin III; D000991:Antithrombins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D004285:Dogs; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products / Q000378:metabolism; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000097:blood*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011486:Protein C / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D000991:Antithrombins; D015415:Biomarkers; D005338:Fibrin Fibrinogen Degradation Products; D011486:Protein C; C046193:antithrombin III-protease complex; C036309:fibrin fragment D; D000990:Antithrombin III; D005340:Fibrinogen; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases