Assessment of a platelet function analyser in horses: reference range and influence of a platelet aggregation inhibitor.

Abstract The objective of this study was to assess whether a new human platelet function analyser (the PFA-100) could be used to evaluate platelet function in horses and detect acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)-induced platelet dysfunctions. Citrated blood samples from 40 healthy horses were processed to obtain reference values for closure time (CT) using cartridges with collagen–ADP (CT–ADP) and collagen–epinephrine (CT–EPI) as platelet agonists. In addition, CT–ADP and CT–EPI were also measured before and 24 h after oral ASA administration in another 12 healthy horses. The sensitivity and specificity of the test were also determined. In normal horses, means ± SD value for CT–ADP was 85.1 ± 13.1 s (median, 82 s), and CT–EPI ranged from 158 to >300 s (median 291 s). Calculated reference ranges were 60.5–115.9 s and 158.5–>300 s for CT–ADP and CT–EPI, respectively. Administration of ASA significantly ( P P