title: Hemostatic profile and thromboembolic risk in healthy dogs treated with prednisone: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thrombosis has been associated to some diseases like hyperadrenocorticism (HAC). Several drugs can alter the balance, such as the corticosteroid prednisone, used mainly for its anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive effects. It is known that hypercortisolism can stimulate thrombi formation by increasing coagulation factors and decreasing fibrinolysis. However it is not known how prednisone administration affects hemostasis in dogs and if it is dose dependent. The aim of this study, therefore, was to demonstrate the effects of prednisone administration on dogs' hemostatic profile.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant decrease of antithrombin levels was observed in both groups (anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive doses) after 15 days of treatment. An increase of platelet aggregation was observed in dogs receiving immunosuppressive doses of prednisone (Group II).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From the results obtained in our study, it is not possible to infer that hypercortisolism can increase the thromboembolic risk, despite the decreased anticoagulant factors (antithrombin levels).
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinics, Botucatu Veterinary Medicine School, University Estadual Paulista - UNESP, Botucatu, Brazil. fgazza_vet@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Felipe Gazza
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Romão
authors.forename: Elza Fernanda
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.forename: Claudio Roberto Scabelo
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Mattoso
authors.forename: Regina Kiomi
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Takahira
mesh_terms: D000308:Adrenocortical Hyperfunction / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001760:Bleeding Time / Q000662:veterinary; D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000662:veterinary; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006487:Hemostasis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D011241:Prednisone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012307:Risk Factors; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000662:veterinary*; D014841:von Willebrand Factor / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D014841:von Willebrand Factor; D011241:Prednisone; D006854:Hydrocortisone