Abstract
BACKGROUND
Coagulopathies in horses with gastrointestinal disease are frequently identified and associated with morbidity and fatality.
OBJECTIVE
Determine if thrombelastography (TEG) identifies abnormalities associated with lesion type, presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), morbidity, and fatality more consistently than traditional coagulation testing.
ANIMALS
One-hundred and one horses examined for gastrointestinal disease and 20 healthy horses.
METHODS
TEG, tissue factor (TF)-TEG, and traditional coagulation panels parameters and percentages of horses with coagulopathies were compared for lesion type, presence of SIRS, complications, and survival.
RESULTS
Changes in individual parameters and increased incidence of coagulopathies were associated with fatality (R, P= .007; k-value [K], P= .004; clot lysis [CL]30, P= .037; CL60, P= .050; angle [Ang], P= .0003; maximum amplitude [MA], P= .006; lysis [Ly]30, P= .042; Ly60, P= .027; CI, P= .0004; ≥ 2 TEG coagulopathies, P= .013; ≥ 3 TEG coagulopathies, P= .038; TF-R, P= .037; TF-K, P= .004; TF-CL30, P < .0001; TF-CL60, P < .0001; TF-Ang, P= .005; TF-Ly30, P= .0002; TF-Ly60, P < .0001; TF-CI, P= .043; ≥ 1 TF-TEG coagulopathies, P= .003; ≥ 2 TF-TEG coagulopathies, P= .0004; prothrombin tme [PT], P < .0001; activated partial throboplastin time [aPTT], P= .021), inflammatory lesions (MA, P= .013; TF-CL30, P= .033; TF-CL60, P= .010; TF-Ly60, P= .011; ≥ 1 TF-TEG coagulopathy, P= .036; ≥ 2 TF-TEG coagulopathy, P= .0007; PT, P= .0005; fibrinogen, P= .019), SIRS (MA, P= .004; TF-CL30, P= .019; TF-CL60, P= .013; TF-Ly30, P= .020; TF-Ly60, P= .010; PT, P < .0001; aPTT, P= .032; disseminated intravascular coagulation, P= .005), and complications (ileus: aPTT, P= .020; diarrhea: TF-CL30, P= .040; TF-Ly30, P= .041; thrombophlebitis: ≥ 1 TF-TEG coagulopathy, P= .018; laminitis: MA, P= .004; CL60, P= .045; CI, P= .036; TF-MA, P= .019; TF-TEG CI, P= .019). Abnormalities in TEG and TF-TEG parameters were indicative of hypocoagulation and hypofibrinolysis.
CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE
TEG identifies changes in coagulation and fibrinolysis associated with lesion type, SIRS, morbidity, and fatality in horses with gastrointestinal disease.
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