Thrombelastography in Horses with Acute Gastrointestinal Disease

Abstract

Background: Coagulopathies in horses with gastrointestinal disease are frequently identified and associated with morbidity and fatality. Objective: Determine if thrombelastography (TEG) identifies abnormalities associated with lesion type, presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), morbidity, and fatality more consistently than traditional coagulation testing. Animals: One-hundred and one horses examined for gastrointestinal disease and 20 healthy horses. Methods: TEG, tissue factor (TF)-TEG, and traditional coagulation panels parameters and percentages of horses with coagulopathies were compared for lesion type, presence of SIRS, complications, and survival. Results: Changes in individual parameters and increased incidence of coagulopathies were associated with fatality (R, P=.007; k-value [K], P=.004; clot lysis [CL]30, P=.037; CL60, P=.050; angle [Ang], P=.0003; maximum amplitude [MA], P=.006; lysis [Ly]30, P=.042; Ly60, P=.027; CI, P=.0004; ≥ 2 TEG coagulopathies, P=.013; ≥ 3 TEG coagulopathies, P=.038; TF-R, P=.037; TF-K, P=.004; TF-CL30, P