Effects of intravenous administration of a fat emulsion on blood coagulation in dogs

¹ Departments of Physiology and Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee

A fat emulsion prepared for intravenous administration has been studied with regard to its effect upon blood coagulation in dogs. The most characteristic effects found during intravenous infusion of this material at a rate of 1 ml/min. were thrombocytopenia and marked shortening of clotting time. These effects were invariably observed in animals which had not previously received the emulsion. When subsequent infusions were given within 3 hours, no significant changes were observed. When the interval was extended to 1–13 days, variable responses occurred, at times characterized by pronounced hypocoagulability. If the repeat infusion was given 2 weeks or more after the initial one, the effects were similar to those observed during the first infusion. The prothrombin and thrombin clotting times and plasma fibrinogen concentration were not greatly altered during the infusion. Abnormal bleeding time, ‘prothrombin utilization’ and clot retraction accompanied the thrombocytopenia.