Comparison of intraperitoneal antithrombin III and heparin in experimental peritonitis

The antifibrotic effect of heparin, an anticoagulant used routinely in the treatment of peritonitis, is unknown, whereas antithrombin III (AT-III) has both anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory actions. The aim of this study was to compare the antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects of AT-III and heparin in rats with experimentally developed peritonitis while on peritoneal dialysis (PD). Sixty-four Wistar albino rats (in four groups of 16) were used in the study. Group 1 received PD solution only, group 2 had experimentally developed peritonitis in addition to PD solution; group 3 received heparin intraperitoneally for 3 days, in addition to group 2; and group 4 received AT-III intraperitoneally for 3 days, in addition to group 2. Plasma and dialysate levels of tissue-plasminogen activator were similar in heparin and AT-III groups on both day 3 and day 14. The inflammation scores of heparin and AT-III groups were also similar in both early and late phases. The fibrosis score of the AT-III group was low compared with both peritonitis and heparin groups in the early phase (p = 0.03), though it was similar in the late phase. The effects of AT-III are comparable with that of heparin in PD peritonitis in rats with experimentally developed peritonitis while on PD.