Coagulopathy induced by viperid snake venoms in a murine model: comparison of standard coagulation tests and rotational thromboelastometry

Abstract

Viperid snakebite envenoming is often characterized by a venom-induced consumption coagulopathy due to the procoagulant effect of venom components, resulting in the alteration of clotting laboratory tests. There is a growing trend to use rotational thromboelastometry in the assessment of clotting disturbances in a variety of pathologies, although its use in experimental models of envenoming has been limited. An in vivo murine model was implemented to assess the coagulopathy induced by three Central American viperid venoms which have different mechanisms of action on clotting factors, i.e., Bothrops asper, Crotalus simus and Bothriechis lateralis. Venom was injected by the intravenous route and blood samples were collected at 1, 3, 5 and 24 h after envenoming. Coagulopathy was assessed by standard clotting tests and by routine rotational thromboelastometric parameters. In addition, the changes in platelet number were followed. B. asper and C. simus venoms induced coagulopathy and thrombocytopenia 1 h after injection, followed by a slow recovery at 3, 5 and 24 h, although the majority of clotting parameters were still significantly affected by 3 and 5 h, and were corrected by 24 h. In general, a similar time-course of alterations was observed for standard clotting tests and most rotational thromboelastomeric assays. However, some thromboelastometric parameters, especially those related to Fibtem, showed more drastic alterations than standard tests and remained altered even at 24 h in some cases. This is likely related to the low fibrinogen concentration observed at most time intervals. B. lateralis venom did not induce a consumption coagulopathy, although it caused a marked thrombocytopenia.