Platelet Function in Dogs with Chronic Liver Disease
Abstract
Background: Dogs with acquired chronic liver disease often have hemostatic derangements. It is currently unknown whether dogs with acquired chronic liver disease have decreased platelet function and alterations in von Willebrand factor (vWF) that may contribute to hemostatic abnormalities.
Hypothesis: Dogs with chronic liver disease have prolonged platelet closure time (CT), assessed with the PFA-100®, and buccal mucosal bleeding time (BMBT), and increased vWF concentration compared to healthy dogs.
Animals: Eighteen dogs with chronic acquired liver disease undergoing ultrasound-guided needle biopsy of the liver or laparoscopic liver biopsy and eighteen healthy age-matched control dogs.
Methods: Prospective study. BMBT, CT using the PFA-100®, and vWF antigen were measured in dogs with chronic liver enzyme elevation undergoing ultrasound-guided needle biopsy of the liver or laparoscopic liver biopsy. After undergoing ultrasound-guided needle biopsy, dogs were monitored for hemorrhage with serial packed cell volume measurements and focused assessment with sonography. An unpaired t-test was used for normally distributed data and the Mann-Whitney test was used when non-Gaussian distribution was present. The level of significance was set at P <0.05.
Results: The CT was not different between the two groups (P = 0.27). The BMBT was significantly longer in the liver disease group compared to the control group (P = 0.019). There was no difference in the mean vWF antigen of the two groups (P = 0.077).
Conclusions and clinical relevance: These results demonstrate mild impairment of primary hemostasis in dogs with chronic liver disease based on prolongation of BMBT.
General Audience Abstract
Background: Dogs with chronic liver disease often have abnormal blood clotting activity. It is currently unknown whether dogs with chronic liver disease have decreased platelet function and alterations in von Willebrand factor (vWF) that may contribute to blood clotting abnormalities. Platelet function can be assessed using the PFA-100®, which measures platelet closure time (CT), and buccal mucosal bleeding time (BMBT). The PFA-100 simulates blood in circulation to assess platelet function. BMBT is a crude but readily available test to assess platelet function in practices without sophisticated methods of assessing platelet function.
Hypothesis: Dogs with chronic liver disease have prolonged CT and BMBT, which both suggest platelet dysfunction. Additionally, dogs with chronic liver disease have increased vWF concentration compared to healthy dogs.
Animals: Eighteen dogs with chronic acquired liver disease undergoing ultrasound-guided needle biopsy of the liver or laparoscopic liver biopsy and eighteen healthy age-matched control dogs.
Methods: Prospective study. BMBT, CT, and vWF antigen were measured in dogs with chronic liver disease undergoing ultrasound-guided needle biopsy of the liver or laparoscopic liver biopsy. After undergoing ultrasound-guided needle biopsy, dogs were monitored for hemorrhage.
Results: The CT was not different between the two groups but the BMBT was significantly longer in the liver disease group compared to healthy dogs. There was no difference in the mean vWF antigen between the two groups.
Conclusions and clinical relevance: These results demonstrate mild impairment of blood clotting activity in dogs with chronic liver disease based on prolongation of BMBT compared to healthy dogs. Prolongation of BMBT compared to healthy dogs is suggestive of endothelial dysfunction and/or platelet dysfunction in dogs with chronic liver disease.
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