Use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure thrombin-antithrombin III complexes in horses with colic.

This study investigates the use of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for identifying high levels of thrombin-antithrombin III complexes, which are indicative of a hypercoagulable state, in horses suffering from colic. The findings suggest that this test could aid in the early diagnosis and management of severe colic cases.

Objective of the research

• The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a new ELISA for measuring the concentrations of thrombin-antithrombin III (TAT) in horses with colic, a common and potentially severe digestive disorder.
• The researchers aimed to correlate the TAT measurements with other hemostasis measures, which would aid in assessing the state of blood coagulation in these animals.

Methods

• The team collected and analyzed plasma samples from 100 horses with colic, monitoring these animals at the time of their hospital admission and over the subsequent four days.
• These plasma samples were evaluated for a range of markers associated with blood clotting, including TAT, fibrinogen, fibrin degradation products, antithrombin III (ATIII), protein C, alpha 2-antiplasmin, plasminogen, prothrombin time (PT), and activated partial thromboplastin time.

Results

• The results suggested a hypercoagulable state in the bestudied cases, characterized by increased TAT concentrations and decreased ATIII, protein C, and plasminogen activities. The state was most severe in horses that did not survive.
• There was a significant negative correlation between TAT and ATIII, protein C, alpha 2-antiplasmin, and plasminogen values, suggesting that the more severe the colic, the higher the concentration of TAT and the lower the levels of other markers.
• Significantly, TAT measurements correlated positively with PT, and fibrin degradation products—markers of coagulation system activity—indicating that TAT could be a good early indicator of a hypercoagulable state.

Conclusions

• The study concluded that assessing plasma TAT levels might serve as a practical and effective means of diagnosing hypercoagulability in horses with severe colic. Such a test could offer valuable information for managing these cases.