Hemostatic abnormalities in dogs with carcinoma: A thromboelastographic characterization of hypercoagulability

• Published in: The veterinary journal (1997) Vol. 190; no. 2; pp. e78 - e83
• Main Authors: Vilar Saavedra, Paulo, Lara García, Ana, Zaldívar López, Sara, Couto, Guillermo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-11-2011
• Subjects: Animals; Antithrombin III; blood platelet count; Cancer; carcinoma; Case-Control Studies; disseminated intravascular coagulation; Dog Diseases - blood; Dog Diseases - diagnosis; Dog Diseases - etiology; Dogs; Female; fibrinogen; Fibrinogen - metabolism; Hemostasis; Hemostasis - physiology; Hemostatic Disorders - diagnosis; Hemostatic Disorders - etiology; Hemostatic Disorders - veterinary; Hypercoagulability; Male; Neoplasms - blood; Neoplasms - complications; Neoplasms - veterinary; Peptide Hydrolases - blood; Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 - blood; plasminogen activator inhibitors; prothrombin; Thrombelastography - veterinary; Thromboelastography; Thrombophilia - diagnosis; Thrombophilia - etiology; Thrombophilia - veterinary; thromboplastin; Hypercoagulability; Thromboelastography; Hemostasis; Dogs; Cancer
• ISSN: 1090-0233; 1532-2971
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2011.02.025

Hemostatic abnormalities were investigated in 32 dogs with carcinoma and 19 age-matched healthy dogs. Thromboelastography, hemostasis profile (i.e. prothrombin time [PT], activated partial thromboplastin time [aPTT], fibrinogen concentration), platelet count (PLT), thrombin–antithrombin complexes (TAT), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) activity were evaluated.
Dogs with carcinomas had faster thrombus generation (TEGTG, a mathematic value obtained from the first derivate of the thromboelastographic tracing; 834.8±91.1 vs. 707.8±75.8mm/min; mean±SD), increased fibrinogen concentration (276 vs. 151mg/dL), and PLT (425 vs. 324U×109/L), but had decreased PAI-1 activity (15.7 vs. 26.2IU/mL).The most common hemostatic abnormalities found in carcinoma dogs were hypercoagulability (TEGTG>mean+2 SD of healthy dogs) and thrombocytosis (PLT>424×109U/L) in 46% of cases, and hyperfibrinogenemia (fibrinogen >384mg/dL) in 32% of cases. Disseminated intravascular coagulation was uncommon and the extent of disease was not correlated with hypercoagulability. TEGTG showed good correlation with fibrinogen (r=0.80) and hyperfibrinogenemia seems to be a main factor of the hypercoagulable state in carcinoma dogs. In conclusion, TEGTG is a valid parameter to diagnose hypercoagulability.