Comparison of intraperitoneal antithrombin III and heparin in experimental peritonitis

Abstract

The antifibrotic effect of heparin, an anticoagulant used routinely in the treatment of peritonitis, is unknown, whereas antithrombin III (AT-III) has both anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory actions. The aim of this study was to compare the antifibrotic and anti-inflammatory effects of AT-III and heparin in rats with experimentally developed peritonitis while on peritoneal dialysis (PD). Sixty-four Wistar albino rats (in four groups of 16) were used in the study. Group 1 received PD solution only, group 2 had experimentally developed peritonitis in addition to PD solution; group 3 received heparin intraperitoneally for 3 days, in addition to group 2; and group 4 received AT-III intraperitoneally for 3 days, in addition to group 2. Plasma and dialysate levels of tissue-plasminogen activator were similar in heparin and AT-III groups on both day 3 and day 14. The inflammation scores of heparin and AT-III groups were also similar in both early and late phases. The fibrosis score of the AT-III group was low compared with both peritonitis and heparin groups in the early phase (p = 0.03), though it was similar in the late phase. The effects of AT-III are comparable with that of heparin in PD peritonitis in rats with experimentally developed peritonitis while on PD.