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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Association between cough and cytology of bronchoalveolar la...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2008; 22(4); 1022-1028; doi: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2008.0109.x

Association between cough and cytology of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and pulmonary function in horses diagnosed with inflammatory airway disease.

Abstract: The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between chronic cough, pulmonary mechanical function, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, and peripheral airway inflammation in adult performance horses with nonseptic inflammatory airway disease (IAD). Objective: We hypothesized that horses with a presenting complaint of cough have a higher percentage of inflammatory cells on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), greater airway obstruction, and airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR) than do horses without cough. ANIMALS/SAMPLE POPULATION: Adult performance horses (n = 137) referred for evaluation of signs of IAD including cough or exercise intolerance (university hospital patients) and BAL samples (n = 142) taken in first opinion practice. Methods: A descriptive, retrospective cohort analysis was performed to evaluate the association between chronic cough and pulmonary mechanical function, AHR, BAL cytology, patient signalment, and comorbid features (multivariable logistic regression). Results: Cough was significantly more prevalent in horses >7 years, and best characterized by a high BAL neutrophil count (>5%) and nasal discharge. Lung function mechanics, abnormal thoracic auscultation, and exercise intolerance did not retain statistical significance in the logistical regression analysis of cough. Although AHR was not related to neutrophilic airway inflammation (BAL neutrophils >5%), it was significantly associated with BAL mast cells >2%. Conclusions: Our data support that neutrophilic airway inflammation may potentiate cough without further changing respiratory mechanical function in IAD. In contrast, mast cell release increased AHR without affecting the incidence of cough. Cough may be used as an indicator of neutrophilic airway inflammation in the presence of low-grade nonseptic respiratory disease.
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Publication Date: 2008-05-24 PubMed ID: 18498325DOI: 10.1111/j.1939-1676.2008.0109.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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  • 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.

This research examines the correlation between chronic cough, lung function, bronchial hyper-responsiveness, and airway inflammation in performance horses diagnosed with nonseptic inflammatory airway disease. The study found that a chronic cough in horses older than seven years can be attributed to a high neutrophil count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and nasal discharge but not lung function or exercise intolerance. Additionally, hyper-responsiveness in the airways is significantly associated with an increase in bronchoalveolar lavage mast cells.

Objective and Hypothesis

  • The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship among chronic cough, the mechanics of lung function, the overreaction of the bronchi, and airway inflammation in adult performance horses suffering from nonseptic inflammatory airway disease (IAD).
  • At the outset of the research, the authors hypothesized that horses that cough likely have higher levels of inflammatory cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL), increased blockage in the airways, and greater sensitivity in the airways compared to horses without a cough.

Methods

  • The research involved a retrospective cohort analysis, looking back at cases of adult performance horses that had been referred for evaluation of IAD symptoms, including cough or exercise intolerance.
  • The study analyzed the horses’ BAL samples and performed multivariable logistic regression to understand the correlation between chronic cough and other factors such as the horse’s veterinary record, lung function, and comorbid issues.

Results

  • The finding of the study showed that cough is significantly more prevalent in horses older than seven years and is characterized by a high neutrophil count (greater than 5%) in the BAL and nasal discharge.
  • Auscultation abnormalities in the chest, lung function, and exercise intolerance did not retain statistical significance in the logistic regression analysis of cough.
  • Even though airway hyper-responsiveness was not related to neutrophilic airway inflammation, it was significantly associated with a high number (>2%) of mast cells in the BAL.

Conclusion

  • Based on the findings, the researchers concluded that neutrophilic airway inflammation, where there is an increase in the type of white blood cells that responds to inflammation in the airway, may potentiate a cough in horses without altering the respiratory mechanical function in the presence of IAD.
  • On the other hand, the release of mast cells, another type of white blood cell, heightens the overreaction in the airways without affecting the incidence of cough.
  • The presence of cough can, therefore, be used to indicate neutrophilic airway inflammation in horses with low-grade, nonseptic respiratory conditions.

Cite This Article

APA
Bedenice D, Mazan MR, Hoffman AM. (2008). Association between cough and cytology of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and pulmonary function in horses diagnosed with inflammatory airway disease. J Vet Intern Med, 22(4), 1022-1028. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1939-1676.2008.0109.x

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 0891-6640
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 22
Issue: 4
Pages: 1022-1028

Researcher Affiliations

Bedenice, D
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, MA 01536, USA.
Mazan, M R
    Hoffman, A M

      MeSH Terms

      • Animals
      • Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / cytology
      • Cough / pathology
      • Cough / veterinary
      • Female
      • Horse Diseases / pathology
      • Horses
      • Inflammation / pathology
      • Inflammation / veterinary
      • Male
      • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / pathology
      • Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / veterinary
      • Respiratory Function Tests / veterinary

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