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PloS one2024; 19(4); e0297181; doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297181

A cross-sectional observational study of birefringent particulates in bronchoalveolar lavage cytology in horses with equine asthma from the West v East coasts of the USA.

Abstract: Equine asthma (EA) is an important cause of wastage in the USA horse industry. Exposure to organic particulates, from stable dust, airborne pollen, and fungal loads, is posited to be the main cause. Dust arising from the earth's crust has been largely ignored as a contributor to EA in the veterinary literature. The objectives of this study were to investigate the occurrence of birefringent particulates in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of horses with a clinical complaint of EA residing in the arid West of the USA v. the East, in an effort to determine the contribution of geolocation to geogenic dust exposure. We analyzed BALF cytology and historical data sent to our referral clinical laboratory from 148 horses from the West Coast and 233 horses from the East Coast of the USA over a 6-year period, using light microscopy to determine cell proportions and other visible elements as well as a polarizing lens to detect birefringent material. Univariate analysis showed that horses from the West coast were significantly more likely to have birefringent particulates in the BALF than horses from the East coast (40.5% v. 8.6%, p < 0.001); while horses from the East had higher BALF neutrophil proportions. Horses from the West also had lower proportions of neutrophils in the BALF than those from the East (27.1 v. 10.9, p < .001). Using historical and BAL data in a forward stepwise binary logistic regression model with presence of birefringent particulates found within alveolar macrophages as the outcome, geographical location in the West retained significance as a predictor (OR 8.0, CI [4.3-14.8], p< .001). While the birefringent particulates cannot be identified on the basis of polarizing microscopy alone, this study provides evidence that horses from the West are exposed to inorganic particulates that may contribute to signs of equine asthma.
Copyright: © 2024 Mazan, Deveney. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
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Publication Date: 2024-04-04 PubMed ID: 38573986PubMed Central: PMC10994282DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297181Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Observational Study
  • Veterinary
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study examines the impact of the geographical location on the incidence of equine asthma in horses in the USA, specifically comparing those on the West Coast to those on the East Coast. The research points to a significant presence of inorganic particulates in horses from the West Coast, which may contribute to the development of equine asthma.

Research Objectives

  • The study aims to evaluate the prevalence of birefringent particulates in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of horses diagnosed with equine asthma, and compare this prevalence between horses from the West and East coasts of the USA.

Research Methodology

  • The study analyzed BALF cytology and historical data from a clinical laboratory involving 148 horses from the West Coast and 233 horses from the East Coast, collected over a period of 6 years.
  • The researchers used light microscopy to identify cell proportions and other visible elements, and a polarizing lens to detect birefringent material.
  • A univariate analysis used the presence of birefringent particulates in BALF and geographical location as variables.

Findings

  • Horses from the West Coast were significantly more likely to have birefringent particulates in their BALF than horses from the East Coast (40.5% vs. 8.6%).
  • Horses from the East Coast had higher proportions of neutrophils in their BALF compared to horses from the West Coast. Neutrophils are type of white blood cells often associated with inflammation and bacterial infection.
  • Using a forward stepwise binary logistic regression model, researchers found geographical location in the West was a significant predictor for the presence of birefringent particulates within alveolar macrophages.

Implications

  • While unable to identify the birefringent particulates using polarizing microscopy, the study suggests that horses from the West are exposed to inorganic particulates that may be contributing to equine asthma.
  • This geographical correlation provides a fresh perspective to vet study that largely ignores the potential impact of geogenic dust on equine asthma.
  • The results could aid in improving the diagnosis and treatment of equine asthma, especially in considering the impact of geographical and environmental factors.

Cite This Article

APA
Mazan MR, Deveney EF. (2024). A cross-sectional observational study of birefringent particulates in bronchoalveolar lavage cytology in horses with equine asthma from the West v East coasts of the USA. PLoS One, 19(4), e0297181. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297181

Publication

PloS one
ISSN: 1932-6203
NlmUniqueID: 101285081
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 19
Issue: 4
Pages: e0297181
PII: e0297181

Researcher Affiliations

Mazan, Melissa R
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Grafton, MA, United States of America.
Deveney, Edward F
  • Department of Physics, Photonics and Optical Engineering, Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, MA, United States of America.

MeSH Terms

  • Horses
  • Animals
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage
  • Asthma / veterinary
  • Asthma / diagnosis
  • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
  • Lung Diseases
  • Dust
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that no competing interests exist.

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