Changes in coagulation and fibrinolysis in horses during exercise.

The research looks at changes in blood clotting time and fibrinolytic activity in horses during exercise, indicating that clotting time decreases and fibrinolytic activity increases during a 20-minute exercise period.

Research Parameters and Design

• The study was conducted with 6 mature, female horses.
• The study was carried out in two trials on consecutive days, using a randomized crossover design to limit bias and control confounding effects.
• In the exercise trial, each mare was made to exercise for 20 minutes on a treadmill at an elevation of 2 degrees and a velocity of 5 m/s. In the control trial, the mares did not exercise.
• Blood samples were collected at specific times – before the exercise, at 4-minute intervals during exercise, and 15 minutes after the exercise.
• The blood samples were used to determine clotting time (CT), fibrinolytic activity (FA), plasminogen/plasmin complex activity (PLG), one-stage prothrombin time (OSPT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), and antithrombin-III (AT-III) activity.

Principal Findings

• The research found significant differences (P < 0.05) between the control and exercise groups for CT, FA, and PLG.
• During exercise, the clotting time significantly decreased from 21.5 +/- 1.6 minutes to 9.9 +/- 1.6 minutes, with no significant changes noticed in OSPT, APTT, or AT-III compartments.
• There was a significant increase in fibrinolytic activity and PLG during exercise.
• The changes in CT, FA, and PLG became observable at 4 minutes of exercise, remained altered until the end of exercise, and returned to baseline values by 15 minutes of recovery.
• There were no significant changes in the CT, OSPT, APTT, FA, AT-III, and PLG during the control trials.

Research Implications

• The research demonstrates clear physiological changes in horses’ coagulation and fibrinolytic parameters during exercise, providing valuable insights for veterinary practitioners and those working in equine sports medicine.
• The findings could inform the development of protocols for exercise and recovery for horses aiming to optimize their coagulation system’s responses.