Comparative Analysis of the Hemostasiological Profile in Sheep and Patients with Cardiovascular Pathology as the...

The aim of the investigation was to study the details of hemostasiological profile in sheep and patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and to find the possibility of predicting thrombotic risks during preclinical tests of vascular prostheses on a large laboratory animal model.

The functional activity of platelets was measured in platelet-rich plasma with inductors: ADP, epinephrine, collagen. Prothrombin activity, international normalized ratio, activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time, fibrinogen concentration, antithrombin III and protein C activity, fibrinolysis were determined in blood plasma. Changes in clot formation and viscoelastic properties of clots were assessed using thromboelastography.

Significant differences were found in the hemostasiological profile of sheep and CHD patients. Sheep platelets had increased response to ADP induction and practically no response to epinephrine induction; collagen-induced aggregation was comparable in the study groups. Coagulation hemostasis of sheep was characterized by increased activity of the prothrombin complex, shortened thrombin time, while APTT and fibrinogen values remained comparable. At the same time, sheep exhibited a significant decrease in the activity of anticoagulant and fibrinolytic systems as compared to CHD patients. When assessing dynamic changes in clot formation, it was observed that initiation phase was faster in animals, while clot density exceeded that in patients.

The hemostasiological profile of sheep is characterized by the increased speed of thrombus formation, greater strength of the formed clot, and lower lysis ability as compared to CHD patients. The revealed details of the hemostasiological profile of sheep can be potential targets for therapy with antithrombotic drugs that minimize thrombotic risks in preclinical testing of vascular prostheses.