Coagulation Status in Dogs Naturally Infected with Angiostrongylus vasorum.

Nadja E Sigrist,Manuela Schnyder,Annette P N Kutter,Rahel Jud Schefer,Claudia Kümmerle-Fraune,Natalie Hofer-Inteeworn,Lucienne Tritten

doi:10.3390/pathogens10091077

Nadja E Sigrist, Manuela Schnyder + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10091077

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Journal: Pathogens	Publication Date: Aug 25, 2021
Citations: 11	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Zurich

Abstract

Angiostrongylus vasorum infection has been associated with coagulopathies including hyperfibrinolysis. We compared coagulation status including thromboelastometry (ROTEM) parameters in dogs naturally infected with A. vasorum versus healthy dogs to determine clinicopathological parameters associated with bleeding, hypocoagulopathy, and hyperfibrinolysis. Clinical signs, white blood cell count, platelet count, hematocrit, plasmatic coagulation tests (PT, aPTT, fibrinogen concentration), D-dimer, and ROTEM S parameters (Ex-tem, In-tem, Fib-tem, Ap-tem) were analysed and compared between bleeding, nonbleeding, and control dogs and between hypo- and normocoagulable animals. Clinical signs of bleeding were present in 6/9 (67%) hypocoagulable and 1/9 (11%) normocoagulable dogs. PT, fibrinogen concentration, and several ROTEM parameters were significantly different between hypocoagulable and normocoagulabe A. vasorum infected dogs. Hyperfibrinolysis was identified in 44% of infected dogs and was significantly more common in bleeding and hypocoagulable dogs. Hyperfibrinolysis was significantly associated with low MCFFib-tem but not with low fibrinogen concentration or increased D-dimers. CFTEx-tem > 248 swas 100% sensitive and 89% specific to predict hyperfibrinolysis. Hyperfibrinolysis, hypocoagulability and bleeding are common in A. vasorum infected dogs. Only Ex-tem and Fib-tem parameters and potentially PT were associated with bleeding or hypocoagulability. Ex-tem analysis enables detection of bleeding, hypocoagulability and hyperfibrinolysis within minutes.

Highlights

Introduction iationsThe canine heart- and lungworm Angiostrongylus vasorum (Baillet 1866) causes serious infections in dogs and is associated with a high mortality rate if not diagnosed and treated in due time [1]
The present study aimed to describe the coagulation status in dogs naturally infected with A. vasorum, to establish the incidence of HFL and to determine clinicopathological parameters indicating the presence of HFL by comparing coagulation parameters of infected dogs to a healthy control group
These findings indicate that both clot formation and clot strength are affected in dogs with A. vasorum induced coagulopathy

Summary

Introduction

The canine heart- and lungworm Angiostrongylus vasorum (Baillet 1866) causes serious infections in dogs and is associated with a high mortality rate if not diagnosed and treated in due time [1]. The disease often causes a broad spectrum of clinical signs, including unspecific clinical signs. Present in about 60% of clinical cases, can lead to rapid life-threatening complications [2] and may occur within the central nervous system, the lung, body cavities, mucous membranes, or in the integument [3,4]. A recent study evaluating serum proteome of experimentally infected dogs did not support an underlying.

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