Antithrombin: Could It be a Diagnostic and Prognostic Marker in Septic Neonatal Foals?

Antithrombin (AT) levels are lower in human neonates affected by sepsis and in nonsurvivors compared with survivors. The aims of this study were to evaluate AT profile in healthy newborn foals and its diagnostic and prognostic role in septic foals during the first week of life. Fifteen healthy foals and 35 septic foals were enrolled. Blood samples were collected from each healthy foal at 30 minutes, 3 and 12 hours from birth, daily from days 1-7, and at days 10 and 14. Blood was collected from each septic foal twice a day from admission to discharge or death. The AT analysis was performed by chromogenic method. Healthy foals showed decreasing levels of AT between 3 hours and 2 days, followed by an increasing trend. Septic foals did not show any difference during the period of observation, and no differences were found between healthy and septic age-matched foals. The analysis of AT activity on the day of admission in septic foals showed higher levels compared with healthy foals, in animals hospitalized at 12 and 24 hours of age (P < .01). No differences were found at admission between foals affected by sepsis and that with septic shock. Nonsurviving foals showed significantly lower levels at 3 and 4 days of age compared with surviving foals; when surviving and nonsurviving foals were compared independently by the age, nonsurviving foals showed significant (P < .05) lower levels 12 hours after admission. In conclusion, AT seems to show neither a diagnostic nor a prognostic role in septic neonatal foals.