Adipose tissue-derived adiponectin expression is significantly associated with increased post operative mortality in horses undergoing emergency abdominal surgery.

The research article investigates the relationship between obesity-related inflammation markers, specifically focusing on the adipokine adiponectin, in horses undergoing emergency abdominal surgery and its impact on postoperative survival. The study finds a positive correlation between increased adiponectin gene expression in the retroperitoneal adipose tissue and higher postoperative mortality rates, but found no such correlation with obesity as determined by Body Mass Index (BMI).

Objectives and Methodology

• This study aimed to observe the role of increased adiposity in horses’ health, specifically looking at the adipokines, which are inflammatory cytokines produced by the adipose tissue. The focus was on any causal relationships between adipokine expression in horses undergoing emergency abdominal surgery with both their adiposity levels and postoperative survival.
• A sample of 76 horses requiring emergency abdominal surgery provided the retroperitoneal adipose tissue for examination. The team used real-time PCR to measure the gene expression of various adipokines: leptin, adiponectin, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, macrophage chemoattractant protein-1, macrophage inhibitory factor, serum amyloid A, haptoglobin and interleukin-1.
• The multivariate patterns in adipokine expression were explored using principal component analysis (PCA) while the univariate associations with postoperative survival were tested with a Cox proportional hazards model.

Results

• Overweight and obese horses demonstrated higher leptin gene expression compared to their lean counterparts.
• The research found a positive association between adiponectin mRNA expression in the visceral adipose tissue and heightened postoperative mortality (hazard ratio 1.31, 95% CI 1.05-1.65).
• The PCA, however, did not show multivariate patterns of adipokine gene expression in the visceral adipose tissue related to body mass index (BMI) or survival.

Conclusions

• In horses suffering from acute intestinal disease, the increase in adiponectin gene expression in the retroperitoneal adipose tissue is associated with a heightened risk of mortality.
• However, there was no connection found between obesity as measured via BMI and higher postoperative mortality in horses with primary gastrointestinal disease.
• These findings indicate a need for further research on the expression and effects of adipokines, especially adiponectin, and their link with postoperative results.