Obesity increases initial rate of fibrin formation during blood coagulation in domestic shorthaired cats

Abstract

Obesity predisposes to a prothrombotic state in humans, but whether a similar state occurs in obese animals is unknown. The objective of the current study was to examine the effect of body fat percentage (BF) on haemostatic parameters including thromboelastography with tissue factor as activator (TF-TEG) in client owned indoor-confined physically inactive cats. Seventy-two cats were included following an initial thorough health examination, and a complete blood count, biochemistry panel, conventional coagulation panel and a TF-TEG analysis were performed with tissue factor (1:50,000) as activator. The cats were anaesthetized, and BF was measured using Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Significant difference between lean (BF < 35%, n = 26), overweight (35% < BF < 45%, n = 28) and obese (BF > 45%, n = 18) cats was identified using ANOVA. The correlation between BF, serum leptin and total adiponectin, respectively, with individual TEG and conventional coagulation parameters was evaluated. Obese cats showed a faster rate of fibrin formation (TF-TEG(R), p < 0.05), and TF-TEG(R) was positively correlated with plasma leptin levels. Increasing BF did not affect other conventional coagulation or TF-TEG parameters. In conclusion, this study indicates a connection between body fat content and altered haemostasis, also in cats. Whether feline obesity causes a hypercoagulable state of clinical relevance should be further investigated.