Objective: To assess the effects of in vitro hemodilution of canine blood with a low molecular weight hy-droxyethyl starch (HES 130/0.4) by means of thromboelastometry (TEM).
Design: In vitro experimental study.
Setting: University Teaching Hospital.
Animals: Ten healthy adult staff-owned dogs were sampled for the purposes of the study. Samples were also collected from 45 clinically normal dogs to establish thromboelastometric reference intervals.
Interventions: For each dog whole blood was collected by jugular venipuncture and placed into tubes containing 3.8% trisodium citrate and stored at 37°C. Two standard dilutions (1:4 and 1:10) from canine blood specimens were prepared with HES 130/0.4 and saline 0.9%.
Measurements and main results: The effects of dilution were studied by TEM. No statistically significant differences were observed between the TEM values of the control samples and the samples diluted with saline solution (ratio 1:10 and 1:4). In contrast, hypocoagulability was observed in the samples treated with HES 130/0.4, with more severe effects at 1:4 dilution than at 1:10 dilution. The 1:4 dilution with HES 130/0.4 produced marked alterations: CT (P = 0.035) and CFT (P = 0.0007) on the ex-TEM profile, CT (P = 0.0005) and ML (P = 0.0017) on the fib-TEM profile and CFT (P = 0.0043) on the in-TEM, were all significantly increased (P < 0.05), whereas MCF (P = 0.0042) and alpha angle (P = 0.002) on the in-TEM and MCF (P = 0.011) and alpha angle (P = 0.001) ex-TEM profiles and MCF (P = 0.0001) on the fib-TEM profile were significantly decreased (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: Dilution of canine blood with HES 130/0.4 results in a thromboelastometric pattern consistent with hypocoagulation and this effect appears to result from a dose-dependent alteration in fibrinogen concentration and inhibition of platelet function. As this is an in vitro study, further in vivo investigations are necessary to confirm the results.
© Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2012.