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Blood-based assessment of oxidative stress, inflammation, endocrine and metabolic adaptations in eventing horses accounting for plasma volume shift after exercise.
Abstract: After submaximal exercise, blood values of eventing horses show physiological reactions. Objective: This prospective longitudinal study investigated blood parameters in 20 elite eventing horses before and after two-four-star cross-country rides. Methods: Using a mixed model adjusting for plasma volume shift, we assessed exercise-dependent parameters and compared blood values with reference ranges for healthy horses at rest. Results: Following exercise, cortisol, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) showed short-term increases, and superoxide-dismutase showed a small short-term increase. Hepatic values showed short-term (haemoglobin [HGB], globulins) or sustained increases (bilirubin, glutamate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase). Digestion-related parameters showed small short-term increases (α-amylase, triglycerides) or decreases (cholesterol, DGGR-lipase), apparent through plasma shift adjustment. Zinc decreased in the short term, and iron showed a delayed decrease. White blood cell count increased persistently after training, whereas serum amyloid A remained unchanged. Conclusions: Exercised eventing horses had consistently elevated HGB and cortisol levels 10 and 30 min after submaximal exercise, exceeding the reference ranges for healthy horses at rest. Exercise activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axes. Antioxidant activity was observed. Increased energy requirements led to the mobilization of energy reserves, and a sustained increase in liver enzymes indicated hepatocellular injury. Mild haemolysis suggested increased muscle metabolism, whereas signs of inflammation were subtle. Further research is needed to identify which horses deviate from mean values.
© 2024 The Authors. Veterinary Medicine and Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Publication Date: 2024-03-22 PubMed ID: 38516822PubMed Central: PMC10958401DOI: 10.1002/vms3.1409Google 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 study examines physiological responses in elite eventing horses after submaximal exercise, focusing on indicators of oxidative stress, inflammation, endocrine function, and metabolic activity. The responses observed included changes in blood profiles, cortisol, thyroid hormones, liver enzymes, and other relevant parameters.
Methodology
- The research involved a prospective longitudinal study on a sample of 20 elite eventing horses.
- Researchers gathered data on various blood parameters before and after the horses undertook two-to-four-star cross-country rides.
- The team employed a mixed model that adjusted for the shift in plasma volume to assess the parameters that depended on exercise.
- The research compared the resulting blood values against the reference ranges for healthy horses at rest.
Results
- After exercise, increases were observed in cortisol, triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and superoxide-dismutase levels, albeit on a short-term basis.
- Hepatic parameters showed either short-term increases (like haemoglobin [HGB] and globulins) or sustained increases (such as bilirubin, glutamate dehydrogenase, and alanine aminotransferase).
- Parameters related to digestion displayed small short-term increases (α-amylase, triglycerides) or decreases (cholesterol, DGGR-lipase) when adjusted through plasma shift.
- Zinc levels reduced in the short term, with iron presenting a delayed decrease.
- There was a persistent increase in white blood cell count post-training, while serum amyloid A remained unchanged.
Conclusion
- The study found that exercised eventing horses consistently showed elevated levels of HGB and cortisol 10 and 30 minutes after submaximal exercise—beyond the reference ranges for resting healthy horses.
- The researchers concluded that exercise stimulates activity in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axes.
- Further, the study observed antioxidative activity and noted that increased energy requirements prompted the mobilization of energy reserves.
- The investigation detected a sustained increase in liver enzymes, indicating potential hepatocellular injury.
- The presence of mild haemolysis suggested increased muscle metabolism, though indications of inflammation were subtle.
- The study calls for additional research to pinpoint which horses deviate from the mean values.
Cite This Article
APA
Giers J, Bartel A, Kirsch K, Mu00fcller SF, Horstmann S, Gehlen H.
(2024).
Blood-based assessment of oxidative stress, inflammation, endocrine and metabolic adaptations in eventing horses accounting for plasma volume shift after exercise.
Vet Med Sci, 10(3), e1409.
https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.1409 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Equine Clinic, Internal Medicine, Freie Universitu00e4t Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Institute for Veterinary Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Freie Universitu00e4t Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Department Sensors and Modeling, Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Potsdam, Germany.
- Laboklin Veterinary Laboratory Diagnostics, Bad Kissingen, Germany.
- German Olympic Committee for Equestrian Sports (DOKR), Warendorf, Germany.
- Equine Clinic, Internal Medicine, Freie Universitu00e4t Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
MeSH Terms
- Horses
- Animals
- Plasma Volume
- Hydrocortisone
- Prospective Studies
- Longitudinal Studies
- Oxidative Stress
- Inflammation / veterinary
- Horse Diseases
Grant Funding
- ZMVI4-070101_16-17 / Bundesinstitut fu00fcr Sportwissenschaften (BISp)
Conflict of Interest Statement
S.F.M. is employed at the contributing commercial veterinary diagnostics laboratory, LABOKLIN GmbH & Co. KG as head of research and development of the department of clinical pathology, but has no role in the design of the study, in the collection of samples, in the interpretation of data or in the decision to publish the results. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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