Acute-phase proteins as diagnostic markers in horses with colic.
Abstract: To investigate the diagnostic potential of the concentrations of acute-phase proteins serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), and fibrinogen in blood and peritoneal fluid (PF) for differentiating horses with inflammatory colic (entero-colitis and peritonitis) from those with surgical colic. Methods: Prospective observational multicenter study. Methods: Two university referral hospitals. Methods: Horses referred for severe acute abdominal pain to Hospital 1 (n = 148) or Hospital 2 (n = 78). Methods: Blood and PF samples collected at admission were used for acute-phase protein concentration measurement. Results: A multivariable logistic model including clinical parameters (lethargy, rectal temperature >38°C [100.4°F], normal rectal examination findings, and gastric reflux of 5-10 L) recorded at admission was constructed from Hospital 1 data. The ability of the model to correctly differentiate inflammatory from surgical colic was 86% determined as area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Adding blood parameters (WBC, PCV, total plasma protein, lactate, SAA, Hp, and fibrinogen concentrations) to the logistic model based on clinical parameters revealed that only WBC and SAA and fibrinogen concentrations improved the model. With SAA included in the model no additional blood parameters improved the model, and the final model had an area under the curve of 90%. Addition of PF parameters (hemolysis, total protein concentration, WBC, SAA, or Hp concentrations) did not improve the model. When validated in Hospital 2 data, the models had good integrity and diagnostic performance. Conclusions: Evaluation of SAA in serum improved the ability to differentiate horses with acute inflammatory colic requiring medical treatment from horses with colic requiring surgery, as it allowed an additional 4% of horses to be correctly classified into medical and surgical cases. Improved differentiation of these 2 groups of horses with colic may minimize the risk of unnecessary or delayed surgery.
© Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society 2016.
Publication Date: 2016-07-06 PubMed ID: 27384962DOI: 10.1111/vec.12504Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Evaluation Study
- Journal Article
- Multicenter Study
Summary
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The research explores the potential of acute-phase proteins (serum amyloid A, haptoglobin, and fibrinogen) in diagnosing and differentiating types of horse colic. It found that the serum amyloid A protein, when evaluated, enhances the diagnosis of acute inflammatory colic from surgical colic, allowing for correct classification and treatment.
Research Purpose and Methodology
- The study aimed to investigate whether the concentrations of acute-phase proteins, specifically serum amyloid A (SAA), haptoglobin (Hp), and fibrinogen in blood and peritoneal fluid (PF), can be used as diagnostic markers to differentiate horses with inflammatory colic from those with surgical colic.
- This was a collaborative research conducted across two university referral hospitals on horses admitted due to severe abdominal pain.
- At admission, the researchers collected blood and peritoneal fluid samples for the concentration measurement of the targeted acute-phase proteins.
- A multivariable logistic model was constructed using clinical parameters like lethargy, rectal temperature, normal rectal examination findings, and amount of gastric reflux. Added to this model were blood parameters like white blood cell count, packed cell volume, total plasma protein, lactate, and concentrations of the acute-phase proteins.
Findings and Conclusion
- The initial logistic model, based solely on clinical parameters, could correctly differentiate inflammatory from surgical colic with an accuracy of 86%.
- However, when the concentration of acute-phase proteins were considered, only white blood cell count and levels of serum amyloid A (SAA) and fibrinogen improved the model’s accuracy.
- Notably, with the inclusion of SAA in the model, no other blood parameters improved its performance. The accuracy of diagnosing the type of colic increased to 90%.
- Peritoneal fluid parameters, when added to the logistic model, failed to enhance its accuracy.
- The developed model was validated using the second batch of data from Hospital 2 and proved to have good integrity and diagnostic performance.
- Hence, the research concluded that the evaluation of SAA in serum improved the ability to differentiate horses with acute inflammatory colic requiring medical treatment from horses with colic requiring surgery.
- This enhanced differentiation could potentially minimize the risk of unnecessary or delayed surgeries, leading to more precise and efficient treatment.
Cite This Article
APA
Pihl TH, Scheepers E, Sanz M, Goddard A, Page P, Toft N, Kjelgaard-Hansen M, Andersen PH, Jacobsen S.
(2016).
Acute-phase proteins as diagnostic markers in horses with colic.
J Vet Emerg Crit Care (San Antonio), 26(5), 664-674.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vec.12504 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Sciences, Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2630 Tåstrup, Denmark. thpi@sund.ku.dk.
- Department of Large Animal Sciences, Veterinary Epidemiology, 1870, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
- Department of Large Animal Sciences, Veterinary Epidemiology, 1870, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
- Department of Large Animal Sciences, Veterinary Epidemiology, 1870, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
- Department of Large Animal Sciences, Veterinary Epidemiology, 1870, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
- the Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, 0110, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Central laboratory, 1870, Frederiksberg, Denmark.
- Department of Large Animal Sciences, Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2630 Tåstrup, Denmark.
- Department of Large Animal Sciences, Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2630 Tåstrup, Denmark.
MeSH Terms
- Acute-Phase Proteins / metabolism
- Animals
- Ascitic Fluid / metabolism
- Biomarkers / blood
- Biomarkers / metabolism
- Colic / diagnosis
- Colic / veterinary
- Denmark
- Female
- Fibrinogen / metabolism
- Haptoglobins / metabolism
- Horse Diseases / blood
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horses
- Male
- Prospective Studies
- Sensitivity and Specificity
- Serum Amyloid A Protein / metabolism
Citations
This article has been cited 8 times.- Ludwig EK, Hobbs KJ, McKinney-Aguirre CA, Gonzalez LM. Biomarkers of Intestinal Injury in Colic.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Jan 7;13(2).
- Dória RGS, Reginato GM, Hayasaka YB, Fantinato Neto P, Passarelli D, Arantes JA. Complications following transcutaneous cecal trocarization in horses with a cattle trocar and a cecal needle.. PLoS One 2022;17(11):e0277468.
- Thurston CC, Stefanovski D, MacKinnon MC, Chapman HS, Richardson DW, Levine DG. Serum amyloid A and fibrinogen as markers for early detection of surgical site infection associated with internal fixation in the horse.. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:960865.
- Przewoźny M, Senderska-Płonowska M, Rząsa A, Wierzbicki H, Borkowski J, Swagemakers JH, Żak-Bochenek A, Stefaniak T. Usefulness of Selected Acute-Phase Proteins in the Postsurgical Monitoring of Arthroscopy and Splint Bone Removal in Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Oct 13;11(10).
- Minamijima Y, Niwa H, Uchida E, Yamamoto K. Comparison of the proteomes in sera between healthy Thoroughbreds and Thoroughbreds with respiratory disease associated with transport using mass spectrometry-based proteomics.. J Equine Sci 2021 Mar;32(1):11-15.
- Long A, Nolen-Walston R. Equine Inflammatory Markers in the Twenty-First Century: A Focus on Serum Amyloid A.. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2020 Apr;36(1):147-160.
- Witkowska-Piłaszewicz OD, Żmigrodzka M, Winnicka A, Miśkiewicz A, Strzelec K, Cywińska A. Serum amyloid A in equine health and disease.. Equine Vet J 2019 May;51(3):293-298.
- Gitari A, Nguhiu J, Varma V, Mogoa E. Occurrence, treatment protocols, and outcomes of colic in horses within Nairobi County, Kenya.. Vet World 2017 Oct;10(10):1255-1263.
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