Omneity® Pellets
All-In-One Vitamin & Mineral Pellet
Arthrogenic lameness of the fetlock: synovial fluid markers of inflammation and cartilage turnover in relation to clinical joint pain.
Abstract: Joint pain is one of the most common causes of lameness in the horse but its pathogenesis is poorly understood. Objective: To investigate which synovial fluid markers may be related to the presence of clinically detectable joint pain in the horse. Methods: Concentrations of structural (CPII, C2C, GAG) and inflammatory markers (PGE2, LTB4, CysLTs, bradykinin and substance P) were measured in fetlock joint fluid from 22 horses in which lameness was localised to the fetlock region by perineural anaesthesia. Levels of these markers were then compared in horses that responded (n = 15) to those that did not (n = 7) to subsequent intra-articular anaesthesia (IAA). Results: Of all markers analysed, only substance P levels were significantly higher (P = 0.0358) in synovial fluid of horses that showed a positive response to IAA compared to those with a negative response to IAA. Notably, while PGE2 levels were found to be elevated in all 22 lame horses compared to sound controls (P = 0.0025), they were not related to the response to IAA. Conclusions: While levels of PGE2 are elevated in synovial fluid of lame horses that respond to perineural anaesthesia, only substance P is related to joint pain as detected by the response to intra-articular anaesthesia. Conclusions: Substance P is associated with clinically detectable joint pain in the horse. Elevated levels of PGE2 in fetlock-lame horses, regardless of their response to IAA, indicate that either this mediator does not reflect intra-articular pain or that IAA might have limitations in differentiating between intra- and peri-articular sources of pain. Either way, a negative response to IAA may not exclude intra-articular pathology.
Publication Date: 2006-07-27 PubMed ID: 16866196DOI: 10.2746/042516406777749236Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- 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.
The research article investigates markers present in the synovial fluid found in horses to understand their possible relationship to joint pain causing lameness. The study identified that substance P was more prevalent in horses that demonstrated joint pain, while elevated levels of PGE2, another inflammatory marker, did not necessarily correlate with intra-articular pain.
Research Methodology
- The study focused on 22 horses where lameness was localized to the fetlock region using perineural anesthesia. This anesthesia method was used to isolate and numb specific nerves to identify the source of the lameness.
- Synovial fluid was examined from these horses noting concentrations of structural (CPII, C2C, GAG) and inflammatory markers (PGE2, LTB4, CysLTs, bradykinin, and substance P).
- The response to subsequent intra-articular anesthesia (IAA), an anesthetic injected directly into the joint space, was observed and categorized based on response or no response to help identify internal joint pain.
Findings
- Of all the markers tested, only substance P showed significantly higher levels in the synovial fluid of horses that positively responded to IAA.
- While PGE2 levels were elevated in all horses compared to sound (healthy) controls, the elevated levels didn’t correlate with a response to IAA.
Conclusions
- Substance P was identified as a significant marker associated with clinically detectable joint pain in horses.
- Despite being more abundant in lame horses, PGE2 was not connected to the presence of intra-articular pain. This suggests that it might not be a reliable indicator of this specific type of pain or that there could be limitations to intra-articular anesthesia in differentiating pain sources.
- The study concludes that a negative response to intra-articular anesthesia may not completely rule out intra-articular pathology as PGE2 was elevated in both groups.
Cite This Article
APA
de Grauw JC, van de Lest CH, van Weeren R, Brommer H, Brama PA.
(2006).
Arthrogenic lameness of the fetlock: synovial fluid markers of inflammation and cartilage turnover in relation to clinical joint pain.
Equine Vet J, 38(4), 305-311.
https://doi.org/10.2746/042516406777749236 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Arthralgia / diagnosis
- Arthralgia / metabolism
- Arthralgia / veterinary
- Biomarkers / analysis
- Bone and Bones / metabolism
- Cartilage / metabolism
- Case-Control Studies
- Dinoprost / analysis
- Female
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / metabolism
- Horses
- Lameness, Animal / diagnosis
- Lameness, Animal / metabolism
- Male
- Nerve Block / veterinary
- Substance P / analysis
- Synovial Fluid / chemistry
- Tarsal Joints / pathology
Citations
This article has been cited 14 times.- McParland TJ, Horne CR, Robertson JB, Schnabel LV, Nelson NC. Alterations to the synovial invaginations of the navicular bone are associated with pathology of both the navicular apparatus and distal interphalangeal joint when evaluated using high field MRI. Vet Radiol Ultrasound 2023 Jan;64(1):9-17.
- Martinez RE, Leatherwood JL, Arnold CE, Glass KG, Walter KW, Valigura HC, Norton SA, White-Springer SH. Responses to an intra-articular lipopolysaccharide challenge following dietary supplementation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product in young horses. J Anim Sci 2021 Oct 1;99(10).
- Cokelaere SM, Groen WMGAC, Plomp SGM, de Grauw JC, van Midwoud PM, Weinans HH, van de Lest CHA, Tryfonidou MA, van Weeren PR, Korthagen NM. Sustained Intra-Articular Release and Biocompatibility of Tacrolimus (FK506) Loaded Monospheres Composed of [PDLA-PEG(1000)]-b-[PLLA] Multi-Block Copolymers in Healthy Horse Joints. Pharmaceutics 2021 Sep 10;13(9).
- Silvers BL, Leatherwood JL, Arnold CE, Nielsen BD, Huseman CJ, Dominguez BJ, Glass KG, Martinez RE, Much ML, Bradbery AN. Effects of aquatic conditioning on cartilage and bone metabolism in young horses. J Anim Sci 2020 Aug 1;98(8).
- Millican AA, Leatherwood JL, Coverdale JA, Arnold CE, Bradbery AN, Larson CK, Lamprecht ED, White SH, Paulk CB, Welsh TH Jr, Wickersham TA. Evaluation of dietary trace mineral supplementation in young horses challenged with intra-articular lipopolysaccharide. Transl Anim Sci 2020 Apr;4(2):txaa006.
- Battaglia B, Angelone M, Vera E, Basini G, Bussolati S, Paci M, Bue MD, Aldigeri R, Grolli S, Quintavalla F, Ramoni R. Clinical Effects of the Extract of the Seeds of the Indian Celery-Apium Graveolens-In Horses Affected by Chronic Osteoarthritis. Animals (Basel) 2019 Aug 20;9(8).
- Niemelä TM, Tulamo RM, Aaltonen K, Sankari SM, Hielm-Björkman AK. Changes in biomarkers in equine synovial fluid two weeks after intra-articular hyaluronan treatment: a randomised double-blind clinical trial. BMC Vet Res 2018 Jun 15;14(1):186.
- Bradbery AN, Coverdale JA, Vernon KL, Leatherwood JL, Arnold CE, Dabareiner RA, Kahn MK, Millican AA, Welsh TH Jr. Evaluation of conjugated linoleic acid supplementation on markers of joint inflammation and cartilage metabolism in young horses challenged with lipopolysaccharide. J Anim Sci 2018 Mar 6;96(2):579-590.
- MacNicol JL, Lindinger MI, Pearson W. A time-course evaluation of inflammatory and oxidative markers following high-intensity exercise in horses: a pilot study. J Appl Physiol (1985) 2018 Apr 1;124(4):860-865.
- Heikkilä HM, Hielm-Björkman AK, Innes JF, Laitinen-Vapaavuori OM. The effect of intra-articular botulinum toxin A on substance P, prostaglandin E(2), and tumor necrosis factor alpha in the canine osteoarthritic joint. BMC Vet Res 2017 Mar 21;13(1):74.
- Duggan MJS, Kearney C, Baltrimaite M, Labberté MC, Gibney R, Brama PAJ. Refinement of the Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Synovitis Model in Equine Middle Carpal Joints. Animals (Basel) 2025 Aug 22;15(17).
- Moore GE, Leatherwood JL, Glass KG, Arnold CE, Paris BL, Carter MM, George JM, Fontenot AB, Martinez RE, Franklin MA, Norton SA, Bradbery AN, Wickersham TA. Influence of dietary Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product on markers of inflammation and cartilage metabolism in young exercising horses challenged with intra-articular lipopolysaccharide. Transl Anim Sci 2025;9:txaf042.
- Richards T, Burron S, McCorkell TC, Trevizan L, Patterson K, Minikhiem D, Ma DWL, Pearson W, Shoveller AK. Effects of dietary camelina, flaxseed, and canola oil supplementation on transepidermal water loss, skin and coat health parameters, and plasma prostaglandin E2, glycosaminoglycan, and nitric oxide concentrations in healthy adult horses. J Anim Sci 2023 Jan 3;101.
- Kearney CM, Korthagen NM, Plomp SGM, Labberté MC, de Grauw JC, van Weeren PR, Brama PAJ. A Translational Model for Repeated Episodes of Joint Inflammation: Welfare, Clinical and Synovial Fluid Biomarker Assessment. Animals (Basel) 2023 Oct 12;13(20).
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
