A retrospective evaluation of the effect of perianesthetic hydromorphone administration on the incidence of postanesthetic signs of colic in horses.
Abstract: To describe the incidence of postanesthetic signs of colic (PASC) in horses and determine if perianesthetic administration of hydromorphone was associated with an increased risk of PASC. Methods: Retrospective, cohort study. Methods: A total of 409 horses. Methods: Anesthesia and clinical records of horses admitted for various procedures from July 2018 to September 2019 were reviewed. Signs of colic and interventions were recorded up to 48 hours after anesthesia. A binomial logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between the type of surgery, administration of hydromorphone, the duration of anesthesia and the incidence of PASC. Results: Overall, 25 (6.1%) horses developed PASC within 48 hours of general anesthesia. Of 60 horses that underwent colic surgery, 16 (26.7%) developed PASC. Of 349 horses that underwent noncolic procedures, nine (2.6%) developed PASC. Thus, the incidence of PASC was higher in horses that underwent colic surgery than in horses that underwent noncolic procedures [odds ratio (OR) = 13.74 (5.73-32.95)]. No effect of hydromorphone on the incidence of PASC was identified [OR = 1.61 (0.71-3.62)]. Longer procedures (>2 hours) were identified as an independent risk factor for PASC [OR = 4.13 (1.52-11.22)]. Conclusions: No association between hydromorphone and an increase in the incidence of PASC was identified. Anesthesia for colic surgery and duration of anesthesia were associated with an increased risk of PASC. Conclusions: Hydromorphone did not increase the incidence of PASC in this population.
Copyright © 2020 Association of Veterinary Anaesthetists and American College of Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2020-07-23 PubMed ID: 32830037DOI: 10.1016/j.vaa.2020.06.003Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This study is an examination of whether the administration of hydromorphone during anesthesia increases the occurrence of colic symptoms in horses after surgery. The findings suggest that the pain medication doesn’t affect the likelihood of such symptoms, but that colic surgery itself and longer procedures pose significant risk.
Study Methods
- In this retrospective study, the researchers analyzed the anesthesia and clinical records of 409 horses, that had different procedures, over the period from July 2018 to September 2019.
- The team examined the instances and interventions related to signs of colic over a period of 48 hours after anesthesia.
- A binomial logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between factors like the type of surgery, the usage of hydromorphone, and the duration of anesthesia, and the occurrence of postanesthetic signs of colic (PASC).
Study Findings
- The study found that 25 out of 409 horses (6.1%) developed PASC within 48 hours of general anesthesia.
- Among the 60 horses that had undergone colic surgery, 16 (26.7%) developed PASC, suggesting a significant association between colic surgery and the occurrence of PASC. In comparison, only nine out of 349 horses (2.6%) that had other procedures showed signs of PASC.
- No significant correlation between hydromorphone administration and the incidence of PASC was identified. The odds ratio of 1.61 (confidence interval: 0.71-3.62) suggested the lack of a considerable resulting increase in PASC occurrence due to hydromorphone.
- The duration of procedure was identified as an independent risk factor, with surgeries lasting more than two hours leading to a higher probability of PASC. The odds ratio was 4.13 with a confidence interval of 1.52-11.22, indicating four times increased risk.
Conclusions
- The study concluded that there was no identifiable link between the administration of hydromorphone and an increase in the incidence of PASC in the studied equine population.
- The study suggests that two major factors associated with higher PASC occurrence were the operation for colic and longer duration of anaesthesia.
Cite This Article
APA
Skrzypczak H, Reed R, Barletta M, Quandt J, Sakai D.
(2020).
A retrospective evaluation of the effect of perianesthetic hydromorphone administration on the incidence of postanesthetic signs of colic in horses.
Vet Anaesth Analg, 47(6), 757-762.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vaa.2020.06.003 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. Electronic address: heather.skrzypczak@uga.edu.
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Department of Large Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Analgesics, Opioid / therapeutic use
- Anesthesia / veterinary
- Animals
- Cohort Studies
- Colic / epidemiology
- Colic / etiology
- Colic / prevention & control
- Colic / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horses
- Hydromorphone / adverse effects
- Hydromorphone / therapeutic use
- Incidence
- Male
- Retrospective Studies
- Risk Assessment
- Risk Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Chiavaccini L, Reed RA, Spadavecchia C. Editorial: Advancements in equine pain management. Front Pain Res (Lausanne) 2025;6:1547764.
- Reed RA, Berghaus LJ, Reynolds RM, Holmes BT, Krikorian AM, Sakai DM, Ishikawa Y, Knych HK. The pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of fentanyl administered via transdermal patch in horses. Front Pain Res (Lausanne) 2024;5:1373759.
- Haralambus R, Juri M, Mokry A, Jenner F. The impact of opioid administration on the incidence of postanaesthetic colic in horses. Front Pain Res (Lausanne) 2024;5:1347548.
- Aitken MR, Floriano DA, Hopster K. Open Approach to the Transversus Abdominis Plane in Horses: A Cadaver Feasibility Study. Vet Sci 2024 Jan 22;11(1).
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