Assessment of systemic inflammation by time-trends of blood granulocyte count and plasma myeloperoxidase and elastase concentrations following colic surgery in horses.

This research article investigates the alterations in blood granulocyte counts and plasma myeloperoxidase (MPO) and elastase (ELT) levels after horses undergo colic surgery and their interrelation with the surgical procedure, postoperative ileus, and the final outcome.

Research Method

• The study is a prospective clinical study that was conducted over a year at a University teaching hospital.
• A total of 53 horses, all of which survived at least 12 hours post-surgery, were selected for this study.
• The blood samples of these horses were collected prior to the surgery, during the surgery, after the recovery from anesthesia, and continuously till the 150th hour after the first blood sampling.
• An automated cell hematology analyzer was used to perform the granulocyte counts.
• Specific ELISAs (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays) were used for measuring MPO and ELT concentrations.
• The researchers used mixed models to compare the time-trends of the three parameters: blood granulocyte count, MPO level, and ELT level.

Findings of the Research

• Upon examining all the horses, the researchers found that the trends of MPO and ELT concentrations were not significantly different, however they were significantly different from the granulocyte count trend.
• The type of surgical procedure did not impact the trends of the three aforementioned parameters.
• Significant changes in the blood granulocyte count were associated with postoperative ileus (a form of digestive tract paralysis) and the final outcome of the operation.
• Outcome of the surgical procedure was also connected to significant changes in the MPO trend.
• The ELT trend was not influenced by either postoperative ileus or the outcome of the surgery.

Conclusions

• The granulocyte counts and MPO levels change over time and these changes are reflective of the severity of the inflammatory response post-surgery in cases of equine colic.
• The alterations in these parameters over time could potentially be useful for evaluating treatment efficacy, with the aim of modulating excessive granulocyte activation and degranulation – a process that involves the release of antimicrobial and immune-regulatory substances.