Adrenal insufficiency associated with long-term anabolic steroid administration in a horse.

The research showcases a case of adrenal insufficiency linked with long-time administration of anabolic steroids in a horse. After abruptly stopping the drug, the horse developed severe health issues which were treated with glucocorticoid replacements until its adrenal function returned to normal.

Case Background

• The subject of the research was a 9-year-old American Quarter Horse gelding who had been receiving monthly injections of an anabolic steroid, stanozolol, for eight years.
• The injections were abruptly stopped, following which the horse developed several health problems including anorexia, lethargy, weight loss, and bilateral forelimb lameness.

Diagnosis

• The horse was diagnosed with secondary hypoadrenocorticism or adrenal insufficiency. This condition means the adrenal glands do not produce adequate amounts of steroid hormones.
• The diagnosis was made based on clinical signs, the absence of high endogenous plasma ACTH (a hormone produced in the pituitary gland that stimulates the adrenal glands) concentration, and lack of cortisol response to administration of ACTH.
• The medical history of the horse indicated that the insufficiency was not due to glucocorticoid administration. Therefore, the cause was identified as the excessive and long-term administration of the anabolic steroid, stanozolol.

Treatment

• The adrenal insufficiency was treated with a physiological glucocorticoid replacement. This is a hormone replacement therapy that substitutes the hormones which the adrenal glands are unable to produce.
• The horse was under this treatment for nine months, until its adrenal function successfully returned to normal.

Findings and Implications

• This case study provides evidence that anabolic steroids affect the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in horses, modulating the production and regulation of hormones.
• The prolonged use of such steroids can disrupt the normal functioning of this axis, leading to adrenal insufficiency.
• The findings underscore the need for caution in the long-term use of anabolic steroids in veterinary practices, for they might lead to severe hormonal imbalance and associated health complications.