Thromboelastography in healthy horses and horses with inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders and suspected coagulopathies.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the use of citrated recalcified (nonactivated) thromboelastography (TEG) in healthy horses and horses with colitis and suspected coagulopathies.


METHODS
Prospective, observational study conducted between October 2007 and June 2009.


METHODS
Veterinary Teaching Hospital.


METHODS
Forty-five healthy adult horses and 12 sick adult horses with colitis and prolonged prothrombin time (PT) or activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT).


METHODS
None.


RESULTS
Whole blood was collected on admission. Coagulation profile (PT, aPTT, platelet count, and fibrinogen concentration) and citrated recalcified whole blood TEG analysis (R-time [R], K-time [K], angle [α], maximum amplitude [MA], G value [G], lysis at 60 min [LY60]) were evaluated. Mean values (SD) for TEG parameters in healthy horses were: R=10.4 (3.1) minutes; K=3.5 (1.2) minutes; α=46.3 (11.0)°; MA=55.6 (5.1) mm; G=6,429 (1,341) dyn/cm², and LY60=5.1 (2.4)%. Mean coefficients of variation for intra-assay/interindividual variability in healthy horses were: R=4.7%/30.7%, K=4.8%/35.3%, α=4.4%/23.8%, MA=1.4%/9.3%, G=3.4%/20.8%, and LY60=13.1%/47.7%, respectively. Horses with colitis and prolonged PT and/or aPTT had longer mean values for R (P<0.001) and K (P<0.001), narrower mean α (P<0.001), decreased mean MA (P=0.001), and smaller mean G (P=0.02); changes consistent with hypocoagulability.


CONCLUSIONS
Citrated recalcified (nonactivated) TEG demonstrated changes consistent with hypocoagulability in horses with colitis that had preidentified coagulation abnormalities. This technique has high interindividual variability and low intra-assay variability. TEG may be useful for detecting hypocoagulable states in horses with colitis and suspected coagulopathies.
Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences and Veterinary Teaching Hospital, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. v12meanj@uco.es
Jose L
JL
Mendez-Angulo
Margaret C
MC
Mudge
Paulo
P
Vilar-Saavedra
Nicole
N
Stingle
C Guillermo
CG
Couto
D000818:Animals; D001778:Blood Coagulation Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003092:Colitis / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D013916:Thrombelastography / Q000662:veterinary*