Hypercoagulation and hypofibrinolysis in horses with colic and DIC.

The study evaluates changes in the clotting and dissolving of clots in 41 horses with severe colic symptoms. It was found that there is a higher rate of clot formation (hypercoagulation) and a decreased rate of clot dissolution (hypofibrinolysis) in horses with colic and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) compared to healthy or colic-only horses.

Research Methods

• The researchers collected blood samples from 41 horses suffering from severe colic and 30 healthy control horses.
• The diagnosis of DIC was based on at least 3 of 6 abnormities including thrombocytopenia, prolonged clotting times, high fibrin degradation products, low fibrinogen, and decreased antithrombin activity.
• Blood test markers were used to determine the level of clotting (hypercoagulation) and lack of clot breakdown (hypofibrinolysis) in the horse’s systems.

Key Findings

• DIC was diagnosed in 16 out of the 41 horses with severe colic.
• Those horses with both colic and DIC had much higher levels of the clotting indicator thrombin-antithrombin III complexes (TAT) in comparison to the healthy or colic-only horses.
• In horses with DIC, there was a significant decrease in D-dimer, an indicator of clot breakdown (fibrinolysis), as well as fibrinogen degradation products (FgDP), another fibrinolytic indicator, as compared to healthy and non-DIC colic horses.
• Both prolonged clotting times (PT and APTT) showed significant positive correlation with levels of TAT, indicating that increased clotting is associated with prolonged clotting times.
• DIC was more common among nonsurvivors and horses with ischemic bowel.

Conclusions

• The study concludes that a state of hypercoagulation is detected in horses with colic and is strongest in the presence of DIC.
• Hypofibrinolysis was only evident in horses with DIC.
• Therefore, a high rate of clot formation coupled with a reduced rate of clot breakdown are associated with DIC in horses.