Thromboelastographic platelet mapping in dogs with complicated Babesia rossi infection.

Background: Dogs with Babesia rossi infection display a normocoagulable thromboelastogram, despite being markedly thrombocytopenic, which is purportedly due to large-scale platelet activation. Thromboelastographic platelet mapping (TEG-PM) evaluates individual contributions of thrombin, fibrinogen, and platelets to clot formation, and may elucidate some of the pathomechanisms of thrombocytopenia-associated hemostatic alterations.

Objective: This study investigated potential differences in TEG-PM variables in dogs with complicated B rossi infection compared with healthy controls, and whether these variables correlated with platelet activation indices.

Methods: The maximum amplitude (MA) following thrombin generation (MA ) was determined using kaolin-activated TEG. The TEG-PM variables included MA following the addition of platelet agonists arachidonic acid (MA ) and adenosine diphosphate (MA ), and MA due to fibrin alone (MA ). In addition, platelet indices and fibrinogen concentrations were determined.

Results: Thirteen dogs with complicated B rossi infection and five healthy controls were included. The median MA and fibrinogen concentrations were significantly higher (P < 0.01 for both) and median platelet count was significantly lower (P < 0.01) in the babesiosis group vs the control group. No significant differences were found for MA and MA . maximum amplitude due to fibrin alone was positively correlated with fibrinogen concentration (r = 0.735), mean platelet volume (r = 0.517), and mean platelet mass (r = 0.498), and negatively correlated with hematocrit (r = -0.685), platelet count (r = -0.476), and plateletcrit (r = -0.479) (P < 0.05 for all).

Conclusions: This study suggests that the presence of hyperfibrinogenemia offsets the severe thrombocytopenia associated with B rossi to result in normal thromboelastograms and lack of overt clinical bleeding.