Haemostatic abnormalities in cats with naturally occurring liver diseases

Alterations in the haemostatic system were characterized in cats with different naturally occurring liver diseases. The study looked at 44 healthy cats and 45 cats with different liver diseases confirmed histologically or cytologically (neoplasia, n=9; inflammation, n=12; hepatic lipidosis, n=13; other degenerative liver diseases, n=11). The following parameters were evaluated: platelet count; prothrombin time; activated partial thromboplastin time; thrombin time; factor (F) II, FV, FVII, FX, and FXIII activities; fibrinogen concentration; activities of antithrombin, protein C, plasminogen, and α(2)-plasmin inhibitor, and D-dimer concentration. In cats with liver diseases, 44/45 (98%) had one or more abnormalities of the coagulation parameters measured. In cats with inflammatory liver diseases, increased D-dimer concentrations and decreased FXIII activity were the most consistent abnormalities and were found in 83% and 75% of cats, respectively. The most common abnormality in cats with neoplastic liver disease was FXIII deficiency (78%). The most consistent abnormalities in cats with hepatic lipidosis were increased FV activity and D-dimer concentration with 54% of cats having values above the reference range for both parameters. Cats with miscellaneous degenerative liver disease most frequently showed FXIII deficiency (64%). The results of this study show that alterations of single haemostatic components are a frequent finding in cats with liver disease. Activation of haemostasis with subsequent consumptive coagulopathy (rather than decreased synthesis) seems to be responsible for these alterations. Increased blood levels of different haemostatic components in cats with inflammatory lesions may be related to an acute phase reaction.