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Published on: September 25, 2016
Viscoelastic coagulation monitoring parameters in cats with acute arterial thromboembolism
Amanda J Johnson1, Elizabeth A Rozanski1, Armelle M de Laforcade1
1Foster Hospital for Small Animals at Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA.
Insights
Cats with arterial thromboembolism (ATE) show reduced clot formation, indicating hypocoagulability. Viscoelastic coagulation monitoring (VCM) revealed decreased clot strength and speed in ATE cats compared to healthy controls.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Cardiology
- Hematology
Background:
- Hypercoagulability is known in cats with cardiac disease.
- Hemostatic parameters, including viscoelastic coagulation monitoring (VCM), are not well-documented in feline arterial thromboembolism (ATE).
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare VCM parameters in cats with acute cardiogenic ATE and healthy control cats.
- To investigate potential hypocoagulability in cats suffering from ATE.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, multicenter study involving 16 cats with ATE and 30 control cats.
- VCM analysis was performed on blood samples from ATE cats at admission and control cats.
- Key VCM parameters including clot time (CT), clot formation time (CFT), alpha angle, maximum clot formation (MCF), and amplitude at 10 and 20 minutes (A10, A20) were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Cats with ATE exhibited a significantly decreased alpha angle (median 43° vs. 47°).
- ATE cats also showed reduced A10 (19 units vs. 22 units), A20 (24.5 units vs. 29 units), and MCF (29.5 units vs. 33.5 units) compared to controls.
- No significant differences were observed in CT, CFT, LI30, or LI45 between the groups.
Conclusions:
- Feline cardiogenic ATE is associated with VCM parameters indicative of hypocoagulability.
- These findings suggest a potential shift towards reduced clot formation in cats with ATE.
Background:
Hypercoagulability has been documented in cats with cardiac disease. However, hemostatic parameters, including viscoelastic coagulation monitoring (VCM) have not been reported in cats with arterial thromboembolism (ATE).
Hypothesis/Objectives:
Compare VCM parameters in cats with acute cardiogenic ATE and in control cats.
Animals:
Sixteen cats with ATE and 30 control cats.
Methods:
Multicenter university-based prospective study. Cardiogenic ATE was diagnosed based on physical examination and by ultrasonographically-diagnosed left atrial enlargement. Viscoelastic coagulation monitor analysis, CBC, serum biochemistry profile and coagulation profile were performed at admission in cats with ATE. Analysis from healthy control cats was performed using blood collected by direct venipuncture. Our objective was comparison of VCM parameters clot time (CT), clot formation time (CFT), alpha angle (Angle), maximum clot formation (MCF), amplitude at 10 and 20 minutes (A10 and A20, respectively) and clot lysis index at 30 and 45 minutes (LI30 and LI45, respectively) between ATE and control cats.
Results:
Cats with ATE had a decreased angle compared to control cats, with a median (range) of 43° (30-48°) compared to 47° (14-59°; P = .01). The parameters A10, A20 and MCF were decreased in ATE cats compared to control cats with a median (range) of 19 units (8-32) compared to 22 units (6-38), 24.5 units (11-40) compared to 29 units (10-47) and 29.5 units (13-44) compared to 33.5 units (14-53), respectively (P = .01, .01 and .01, respectively). The parameters CT, CFT, LI30 and LI45 were similar between groups (P = .22, .09, .62 and .34, respectively).
Conclusions And Clinical Importance:
Cats with cardiogenic ATE cats have VCM parameters consistent with hypocoagulability compared with healthy cats.
