Antithrombin III (ATIII) Activity in Plasmas from Normal and Diseased Horses, and in Normal Canine, Bovine and Human Plasmas

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Abstract
Summary: Plasma Antithrombin III (ATIII) activity was quantitated in 24 clinically normal Standardbred/Thoroughbred horses using a clotting time technique. ATIII activity ranged from 80 to 106% of the pooled reference standard plasma, with a mean of 94%. Horses presenting with impaction or spasmotic colic (n = 17) had normal plasma ATIII activity, while 15 horses presenting with acute diarrhea/colitis had significantly lower plasma ATIII activity with a mean of only 74% of the reference plasma. Seven horses presenting with liver disease had significantly higher plasma ATIII activity with a range of 127 to 177% of the pooled reference plasma.Fifty‐seven equine plasmas were retested using a rapid chromogenic substrate technique for quantitating plasma ATIII activity. A good correlation (r = +0.83) existed between clotting time and chromogenic determinations of ATIII.Pooled normal canine, human and bovine plasmas had only 65, 62 and 79%, respectively, of the ATIII activity of the equine reference plasma.