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Evaluation of platelet aggregometry in dogs using the M ultiplate platelet analyzer: impact of anticoagulant choice and assay duration
Author(s) -
Marschner Clara B.,
Kristensen Annemarie T.,
Spodsberg Eva H.,
Wiinberg Bo
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of veterinary emergency and critical care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.886
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1476-4431
pISSN - 1479-3261
DOI - 10.1111/j.1476-4431.2011.00709.x
Subject(s) - hirudin , heparin , medicine , anticoagulant , platelet , whole blood , adenosine diphosphate , arachidonic acid , pharmacology , chromatography , platelet aggregation , thrombin , chemistry , biochemistry , enzyme
Objective To investigate the performance of the M ultiplate platelet function analyzer with regards to: (1) the use of 3 different anticoagulants (ie, citrate, hirudin, and heparin) and (2) the evaluation of optimal assay time. Design Prospective observational in vitro study. Setting U niversity v eterinary t eaching h ospital. Animals Twenty clinically healthy dogs and 3 ill dogs. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results A total of 184 analyses were performed with duplicate measurements in each test cell and results are reported as mean of the 2 measurements. Analyses were performed on blood samples from 20 dogs collected in citrate, hirudin, or heparin. A total of 4 analyses were performed on every blood sample using adenosine diphosphate, collagen, and arachidonic acid as agonists as well as a control with 0.9% sodium chloride (buffer). Aggregation in hirudin samples was significantly increased compared with heparin at all analysis times except at 6 minutes when using ADP as agonist; however, hirudin samples also demonstrated significant aggregation in the buffer control, compared to both citrate and heparin. Citrated samples yielded significantly lower aggregation compared with both hirudin‐ and heparin‐stabilized samples at 6 and 12 minutes when ADP and collagen were used as agonists, and at most analysis times with arachidonic acid. The assay performed best at shorter analyses times, whereas longer analyses times yielded larger variation in data. Conclusions There was a good aggregation response and acceptable analytical variation in both heparin‐ and hirudin‐anticoagulated samples with all tested agonist at the concentrations recommended by the manufacturer. The results suggest that heparin may be superior as anticoagulant for Multiplate analyses in dogs and that short analyses times are preferable. Spontaneous platelet autoaggregation in hirudin samples warrants careful evaluation of results using this anticoagulant, especially at longer test times. The use of citrate is discouraged for Multiplate analyses in dogs due to a weak aggregation response.