Clinical and clinicopathologic variables in adult horses receiving blood transfusions: 31 cases (1999-2005).
Abstract: To determine clinical and clinicopathologic abnormalities in horses administered a blood transfusion and evaluate effects of blood transfusion on these variables. Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: 31 adult horses that received > or = 1 blood transfusion. Procedures-Medical records of horses receiving a blood transfusion were reviewed to obtain clinical findings, laboratory test results before and after transfusion, adjunctive treatments, transfusion type and volume, response to transfusion, results of donor-recipient compatibility testing, adverse reactions, and outcome. Results: 31 horses received 44 transfusions for hemorrhagic anemia (HG; n = 18 horses), hemolytic anemia (HL; 8), or anemia attributable to erythropoietic failure (EF; 5). Tachycardia and tachypnea were detected in 31 of 31 (100%) and 22 of 31 (71%) horses, respectively, before transfusion. The PCV and hemoglobin concentration were less than the reference range in 11 of 18 horses with HG, 8 of 8 horses with HL, and 5 of 5 horses with EF. Hyperlactatemia was detected in 16 of 17 recorded values before transfusion. Heart rate, respiratory rate, and PCV improved after transfusion, with differences among the types of anemia. Seventeen (54%) horses were discharged, 9 (29%) were euthanized, and 5 (16%) died of natural causes. Adverse reactions were evident during 7 of 44 (16%) transfusions, varying from urticarial reactions to anaphylactic shock. Conclusions: Abnormalities in clinical and clinicopathologic variables differed depending on the type of anemia. Colic, cold extremities, signs of depression, lethargy, tachycardia, tachypnea, low PCV, low hemoglobin concentration, and hyperlactatemia were commonly detected before transfusion and resolved after transfusion.
Publication Date: 2007-07-17 PubMed ID: 17630896DOI: 10.2460/javma.231.2.267Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article investigates the clinical and clinicopathologic deviations in adult horses administered a blood transfusion. The study evaluates the impacts of the transfusion on specific attributes and clinical findings, with an overall aim to enhance understanding and intervention strategies for such cases.
Research Methodology
- The study took a retrospective approach, examining records for 31 adult horses that received at least one blood transfusion.
- The medical histories, including clinical findings, laboratory test results before and after the transfusion, additional treatments, type and volume of transfusion, response to the transfusion, results of compatibility tests between donor and recipient, adverse reactions, and outcomes, were thoroughly reviewed.
Study Findings
- The 31 horses in the study received a total of 44 transfusions, primarily for hemorrhagic anemia, hemolytic anemia, or anemia due to erythropoietic failure.
- Most of the horses showed tachycardia (increased heart rate) and tachypnea (increased breathing rate) before the transfusion. The Packed Cell Volume (PCV) and hemoglobin concentration values were lower than the typical range in a significant number of the horses studied.
- An increase in lactate levels in the blood (hyperlactatemia) was observed in most horses before the transfusion. However, the heart rate, respiratory rate, and PCV showed considerable improvement after the transfusion.
Outcomes and Adverse Effects
- Of the horses studied, 54% were discharged, 29% were euthanized, and 16% died of natural causes.
- Side effects were observed in 16% of the transfusions and ranged from urticarial reactions (hives) to anaphylactic shock.
Conclusion
- The research concluded that variations in clinical and clinicopathologic variables can depend on the type of anemia a horse has.
- Common symptoms detected before the transfusion, like colic, cold extremities, signs of depression, lethargy, tachycardia, tachypnea, low PCV, low hemoglobin concentration, and hyperlactatemia, were found to resolve after the transfusion.
Cite This Article
APA
Hurcombe SD, Mudge MC, Hinchcliff KW.
(2007).
Clinical and clinicopathologic variables in adult horses receiving blood transfusions: 31 cases (1999-2005).
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 231(2), 267-274.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.231.2.267 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Anemia / etiology
- Anemia / therapy
- Anemia / veterinary
- Animals
- Blood Grouping and Crossmatching / veterinary
- Blood Transfusion / methods
- Blood Transfusion / veterinary
- Female
- Hemorrhage / complications
- Hemorrhage / therapy
- Hemorrhage / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / mortality
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
- Male
- Retrospective Studies
- Survival Analysis
- Transfusion Reaction
- Treatment Outcome
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Fenn MS, Bortsie-Aryee AD, Perkins GA, Mann S, Tomlinson JE, Wood EM, Mix SE, Stokol T. Agreement of stall-side and laboratory major crossmatch tests with the reference standard method in horses. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Mar;34(2):941-948.
- Casenave P, Leclere M, Beauchamp G, Blais MC. Modified stall-side crossmatch for transfusions in horses. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Jul;33(4):1775-1783.
- Luethy D, Stefanovski D, Salber R, Sweeney RW. Prediction of Packed Cell Volume after Whole Blood Transfusion in Small Ruminants and South American Camelids: 80 Cases (2006-2016). J Vet Intern Med 2017 Nov;31(6):1900-1904.
- Luethy D, Owens SD, Stefanovski D, Nolen-Walston R, Giger U. Comparison of Tube, Gel, and Immunochromatographic Strip Methods for Evaluation of Blood Transfusion Compatibility in Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2016 Nov;30(6):1864-1871.
- Tomlinson JE, Taberner E, Boston RC, Owens SD, Nolen-Walston RD. Survival Time of Cross-Match Incompatible Red Blood Cells in Adult Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2015 Nov-Dec;29(6):1683-8.
- Miglio A, Rocconi F, Cremonini V, D'Alessandro A, Reisz JA, Maslanka M, Lacroix IS, Tiscar G, Di Tommaso M, Antognoni MT. Effect of leukoreduction on the metabolism of equine packed red blood cells during refrigerated storage. J Vet Intern Med 2024 Mar-Apr;38(2):1185-1195.
- Hourani L, Weingart C, Kohn B. Alloimmunisation in transfused patients: serial cross-matching in a population of hospitalised cats. J Feline Med Surg 2017 Dec;19(12):1231-1237.
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