Correlation of the serial-dilution protamine sulfate test with models of "hypercoagulability" and thrombosis in dogs

In a dog model, combinations of venous-injury thrombosis, homologous serum-induced "hypercoagulability," and fibrinolytic blockade were evaluated to determine the factors involved in the generation of a positive serial-dilution protamine sulfate test. Stasis and operative procedures did not produce a positive test. Small local thrombi induced by electrical current produced a positive test that tended to persist only during the initial formation and propagation of the thrombus, and was blocked by pretreatment with epsilon-aminocaproic acid, suggesting in this model that the test was detecting mainly early fibrin degradation products. Homologous serum infusion without venous-injury thrombosis also produced positive serial-dilution protamine sulfate test results that could not be blocked with epsilon-aminocaproic acid suggesting here that the serial-dilution protamine sulfate test was detecting mainly soluble complexes of fibrin monomer rather than early fibrin degradation products. The serial-dilution protamine sulfate test is therefore capable of detecting both small local thrombi and serum-induced "hypercoagulability" without thrombosis in the dog model.