49 research outputs found
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and vaccenic acid (VA) have no effect on blood pressure and isobar arterial elasticity in healthy young men
Hemostatic analysis of dogs naturally envenomed by the African puffadder (<i>Bitis arietans</i>) and snouted cobra (<i>Naja annulifera</i>)
OBJECTIVE – To investigate hemostatic changes in dogs envenomed by cytotoxic (African puffadder) and neurotoxic
snakes (snouted cobra) using thromboelastography (TEG) and plasma-based coagulation assays.
DESIGN – Prospective observational clinical study.
SETTING – University teaching hospital.
ANIMALS – Eighteen client-owned dogs; 9 envenomed by African puffadder (Bitis arietans) and 9 by snouted
cobra (Naja annulifera). Ten healthy dogs served as controls.
INTERVENTIONS – None.
MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS – Blood was collected at presentation and 24 hours post envenomation.
Platelet count, TEG, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), antithrombin activity, and
fibrinogen (Fib) and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were measured. Outcomes were analyzed using
linear mixed models at 5% significance. At presentation, R time was significantly prolonged in the puffadder
group compared to the cobra (P = 0.01) and control groups (P = 0.05). Platelet count was significantly lower
in the puffadder compared to the cobra (P = 0.04) and control groups (P = 0.001), respectively. Antithrombin
activity was significantly decreased in the puffadder (P = 0.002) and cobra groups (P = 0.004) compared to the
control group. Both prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time were significantly prolonged
in the cobra group compared to the control group (P = 0.03 for both). The TEG variables, maximum amplitude
(MA) and G, were significantly increased 24 hours post envenomation in the puffadder group compared to their
values at presentation (P = 0.05 for both). Fib and CRP concentrations were significantly increased 24 hours
post envenomation in both snake-envenomed groups.
CONCLUSIONS – Prolonged clot initiation was a common feature in puffadder-envenomed dogs at presentation
and this was likely venom induced. Snouted cobra-envenomed dogs were normo- to hypercoagulable
at presentation. Dogs from both puffadder and cobra groups progressed to a more hypercoagulable by
24 hours post envenomation, most likely due to marked inflammation as indicated by the increased Fib and
CRP concentrations. TEG proved a sensitive tool for detecting abnormal hemostasis in snake-envenomed dogs.The Faculty Research
Committee and the CACS Departmental Research Fund
as well as the South African National Research Foundation.http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1476-44312015-11-30hb201