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Forty-one Dutch Warmblood immature horses were used in a study to quantify temperamental traits on the basis of heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) measures. Half of the horses received additional training from the age of 5 months onwards; the other half did not. Horses were tested at 9, 10, 21 and 22 months of age in a novel object and a handling test. During the tests, mean HR and two heart variability indices, e.g. standard deviation of beat-to-beat intervals (SDRR) and root mean square of successive beat-to-beat differences (rMSSD), were calculated and expressed as response values to baseline measures. In both tests, horses showed at all ages a significant increase in mean HR and decrease in HRV measures, which suggests a marked shift of the balance of the autonomic nervous system towards a sympathetic dominance. In the novel object test, this shift was more pronounced in horses that had not been trained. Furthermore, statistical analysis showed that the increase in mean HR could not be entirely explained by the physical activity. The additional increase in HR, the nonmotor HR, was more pronounced in the untrained horses compared to the trained. Hence, it is suggested that this nonmotor HR might be due to the level of emotionality. HR variables showed consistency between years, as well as within the second year. These tests bring about a HR response in horses, part of which may indicate a higher level of emotionality; and horses show individual consistency of these HR variables over ages. Therefore, it is concluded that mean HR and HRV measures used with these tests quantify certain aspects of a horse's temperament.

In this longitudinal study we measured beta-TG, PF4, fibrinolytic activity (extrinsic and euglobulin fraction), fibrinogen, FVIII RAg and FVIII Rcof before and after i.v. DDAVP (FPA was only measured before DDAVP) in 20 patients with diabetes mellitus. These parameters were measured on three occasions: phase I: during disregulation, phase II: after three weeks of strict control, phase III: after nine weeks of good control. Twenty-two healthy volunteers served as normal controls. No significant differences related to metabolic control were found for beta-TG, PF4, FPA and fibrinogen. There was no change after i.v. DDAVP administration. Fibrinolytic activity showed a significant increase after i.v. DDAVP. Baseline values and post-DDAVP increase were not significantly different from our normal controls. FVIII RAg and FVIII Rcof were both significantly elevated in diabetes mellitus. Both increased significantly after DDAVP. The FVIII RAg release (delta FVIII RAg) was significantly less in the diabetics. Fibrinolytic activity, FVIII RAg and FVIII Rcof are independent of the degree of metabolic control in patients with diabetes.