Coagulation Status in Dogs Naturally Infected with <i>Angiostrongylus vasorum</i>

• Main Authors: Nadja E. Sigrist, Lucienne Tritten, Claudia Kümmerle-Fraune, Natalie Hofer-Inteeworn, Rahel Jud Schefer, Manuela Schnyder, Annette P. N. Kutter
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-08-01
• Series: Pathogens
• Subjects: angiostrongylosis; bleeding diathesis; fibrinogen
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/10/9/1077

<i>Angiostrongylus vasorum</i> infection has been associated with coagulopathies including hyperfibrinolysis. We compared coagulation status including thromboelastometry (ROTEM) parameters in dogs naturally infected with <i>A. vasorum</i> 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 <i>A. vasorum</i> 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 <i>A. vasorum</i> 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.