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Associations between age or sex and prevalence of gastric ulceration in Standardbred racehorses in training.
Abstract: To determine associations between age, sex, or medical treatment and prevalence and severity of gastric ulceration in Standardbred racehorses in training. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: 224 Standardbred racehorses in training. Methods: Gastroscopy was performed on each horse, and mucosal ulceration was graded from 0 (normal mucosa, no lesions) to 3 (extensive, often coalescing, lesions with areas of deep ulceration). Associations between age, sex, or treatment and prevalence and severity of ulcers were evaluated. Results: Prevalence of gastric ulceration was 87%. Although there was little association between age and prevalence of ulcers, there was an association between age and severity of ulcers. Most 2-year-old horses (57.7%) had an ulcer score of 0 or 1. In all other age groups, most (58% to 82.61%) of horses had an ulcer score of 2 or 3. Although overall prevalence of ulceration was comparable among sex groups, the relative risk for gastric ulceration increased with age in castrated males, whereas it decreased in females and sexually intact males. Conclusions: Gastric ulceration is common in Standardbred horses in race training. Severity is higher in horses > or = 3 years of age than in 2-year-old horses. Relative risk for ulceration increases with age in castrated males.
Publication Date: 2002-10-22 PubMed ID: 12387386DOI: 10.2460/javma.2002.221.1156Google 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
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The research investigates the correlation between age, sex, or medical treatment and the prevalence and severity of gastric ulcers in racehorses, particularly Standardbred horses. The study found that the prevalence of gastric ulcers is high in racehorses and that the severity increases in older horses, especially castrated males.
Research Methods
- This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 224 Standardbred racehorses in training.
- A procedure known as gastroscopy was performed on each horse. This is a procedure where a tube with a light and a camera at one end is passed into the stomach allowing for visual examination.
- The mucosal ulceration in the horses was graded on a scale from 0-3, where 0 represented a horse with normal mucosa and no lesions and 3 indicated extensive lesions with regions of deep ulceration.
- The researchers conducted evaluations to establish any associations between the age, sex, or treatment of the horses and the prevalence and severity of ulcers.
Research Results
- The prevalence of gastric ulceration was found to be extremely high, at 87%.
- Though there was no significant association found between age and ulcer prevalence, a link was established between age and ulcer severity.
- Most 2-year-old horses had lower ulcer scores of 0 or 1. However, in all other age brackets, the majority of horses had high ulcer scores of 2 or 3.
- In terms of sex differences, the overall prevalence of ulceration was similar across groups. However, the relative risk for gastric ulceration was found to increase with age in castrated males whereas in females and sexually intact males, it decreased.
Conclusions
- The study concluded that gastric ulceration is commonplace in Standardbred racehorses in training.
- The severity of the ulcers was found to be more in horses aged 3 years or above in comparison to 2-year-old horses.
- The relative risk for ulceration was also found to increase with age in castrated males.
Cite This Article
APA
Rabuffo TS, Orsini JA, Sullivan E, Engiles J, Norman T, Boston R.
(2002).
Associations between age or sex and prevalence of gastric ulceration in Standardbred racehorses in training.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 221(8), 1156-1159.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.2002.221.1156 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square 19348, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Age Factors
- Animals
- Cross-Sectional Studies
- Female
- Gastroscopy / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Male
- Orchiectomy / veterinary
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Prevalence
- Severity of Illness Index
- Sex Factors
- Stomach Ulcer / epidemiology
- Stomach Ulcer / pathology
- Stomach Ulcer / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 14 times.- Zhou K, Dong Z, Zhou X, Zhai B, Li B, Zhang J, Cheng F. The Prevalence of Gastric Ulcer Syndrome in 395 Horses in Jiangyin City, China, Jiangsu Province. Animals (Basel) 2024 Dec 17;14(24).
- Busechian S, Bindi F, Orvieto S, Zappulla F, Marchesi MC, Nisi I, Rueca F. Prevalence and Risk Factors for the Presence of Gastric Ulcers in Pleasure and Breeding Horses in Italy. Animals (Basel) 2024 Jun 17;14(12).
- Busechian S, Bindi F, Pieramati C, Orvieto S, Pisello L, Cozzi S, Ortolani F, Rueca F. Is There a Difference in the Prevalence of Gastric Ulcers between Stallions Used for Breeding and Those Not Used for Breeding?. Animals (Basel) 2024 May 22;14(11).
- Leleu C, Couroucé A. Effect of a blend of magnesium oxide on Equine Squamous Gastric Disease in young trotter horses under training. J Vet Sci 2023 Nov;24(6):e87.
- Lo Feudo CM, Stucchi L, Conturba B, Stancari G, Zucca E, Ferrucci F. Medical causes of poor performance and their associations with fitness in Standardbred racehorses. J Vet Intern Med 2023 Jul-Aug;37(4):1514-1527.
- Lo Feudo CM, Stucchi L, Conturba B, Stancari G, Zucca E, Ferrucci F. Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome affects fitness parameters in poorly performing Standardbred racehorses. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:1014619.
- Albanese V, Munsterman A, Klohnen A. Prevalence of Gastric Ulceration in Horses with Enterolithiasis Compared with Horses with Simple Large Intestinal Obstruction. Vet Sci 2022 Oct 25;9(11).
- Hewetson M, Tallon R. Equine Squamous Gastric Disease: Prevalence, Impact and Management. Vet Med (Auckl) 2021;12:381-399.
- Hausberger M, Lesimple C, Henry S. Detecting Welfare in a Non-Verbal Species: Social/Cultural Biases and Difficulties in Horse Welfare Assessment. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jul 30;11(8).
- Wise JC, Hughes KJ, Edwards S, Jacobson GA, Narkowicz CK, Raidal SL. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of 2 registered omeprazole preparations and varying dose rates in horses. J Vet Intern Med 2021 Jan;35(1):620-631.
- Banse HE, MacLeod H, Crosby C, Windeyer MC. Prevalence of and risk factors for equine glandular and squamous gastric disease in polo horses. Can Vet J 2018 Aug;59(8):880-884.
- Hewetson M, Sykes BW, Hallowell GD, Tulamo RM. Diagnostic accuracy of blood sucrose as a screening test for equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) in adult horses. Acta Vet Scand 2017 Mar 11;59(1):15.
- Sykes BW, Hewetson M, Hepburn RJ, Luthersson N, Tamzali Y. European College of Equine Internal Medicine Consensus Statement--Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome in Adult Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2015 Sep-Oct;29(5):1288-99.
- Woodward MC, Huff NK, Garza F Jr, Keowen ML, Kearney MT, Andrews FM. Effect of pectin, lecithin, and antacid feed supplements (Egusin®) on gastric ulcer scores, gastric fluid pH and blood gas values in horses. BMC Vet Res 2014;10 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S4.
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