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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2019; 9(6); 330; doi: 10.3390/ani9060330

Changes in Serum Amyloid A (SAA) Concentration in Arabian Endurance Horses During First Training Season.

Abstract: Sport training leads to adaptation to physical effort that is reflected by the changes in blood parameters. In equine endurance athletes, blood testing is accepted as a support in training, however, only the changes before versus after exercise in creatine phosphokinase activity (CPK) and basic blood parameters are usually measured. This study is the first longitudinal investigation of the changes in routinely measured blood parameters and, additionally, serum amyloid A (SAA), during seven months, in Arabian horses introduced to endurance training and competing in events for young horses. It has been determined that CPK, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin concentration, red blood cell count (RBC), and concentration of total serum protein (TSP) slightly increased after training sessions and competitions in similar manner. The increase in white blood cell (WBC) count was higher after competitions and SAA increased only after competitions. Total protein concentration was the only parameter that increased with training during a 7-month program. SAA indicated only in the case of heavy effort, and, it thus may be helpful in the monitoring of training in young horses. In an optimal program, its concentration should not increase after a training session but only after heavy effort, which should not be repeated too often.
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Publication Date: 2019-06-08 PubMed ID: 31181740PubMed Central: PMC6616404DOI: 10.3390/ani9060330Google Scholar: Lookup
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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 article focuses on how physical training in Arabian endurance horses influences changes in their blood parameters, particularly being the first to track the changes over seven months and examining serum amyloid A (SAA).

Research Overview

The study monitors changes in blood parameters, an accepted methodology in equine training support, over seven months as Arabian horses are introduced to endurance training and compete in events dedicated to young horses. The study differentiates itself by not only considering changes in traditionally measured parameters before and after exercise, but also by investigating SAA concentration.

Changes in Blood Parameters

  • Measured blood parameters were creatine phosphokinase activity (CPK), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin concentration, red blood cell count (RBC), and total serum protein (TSP) concentration.
  • These blood parameters showed a slight increase in their concentrations after both training sessions and competitions.
  • White blood cell (WBC) count however showed a higher increase after competitions.

Changes in Serum Amyloid A

  • Serum Amyloid A (SAA) is a protein that the liver produces in response to inflammation or tissue damage. Its concentration only increased after competitions, not after regular training sessions.
  • The increase in SAA suggests that it may only indicate the occurrence of heavy effort, proving useful in the monitoring of young horses’ training. In a well-regulated program, the researchers suggest that its concentration should not increment post-training, but should increase only after rigorous effort, which should not happen too frequently.

Overall Findings

  • Contrary to the other blood parameters examined, total serum protein (TSP) concentration was the only parameter to increase concomitant with training duration over the seven-month program. This suggests the horse’s system adapting to consistent physical exertion.
  • The study’s findings construct the position that SAA may be extremely helpful in monitoring young Arabian endurance horses during training by indicating extreme effort which should ideally be minimised in a well-structured training regimen.

Cite This Article

APA
Witkowska-Piłaszewicz O, Bąska P, Czopowicz M, Żmigrodzka M, Szczepaniak J, Szarska E, Winnicka A, Cywińska A. (2019). Changes in Serum Amyloid A (SAA) Concentration in Arabian Endurance Horses During First Training Season. Animals (Basel), 9(6), 330. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9060330

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 9
Issue: 6
PII: 330

Researcher Affiliations

Witkowska-Piłaszewicz, Olga
  • Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland. olga.witkowska.pilaszewicz@gmail.com.
Bąska, Piotr
  • Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Preclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland. piotr_baska@sggw.pl.
Czopowicz, Michał
  • Laboratory of Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland. michal_czopowicz@sggw.pl.
Żmigrodzka, Magdalena
  • Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland. mzmigro@gmial.com.
Szczepaniak, Jarosław
  • Department of Animal Nutrition and Biotechnology, Faculty of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland. jaroslaw_szczepaniak@sggw.pl.
Szarska, Ewa
  • Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, 01-163 Warsaw, Poland. eszarska@gmail.com.
Winnicka, Anna
  • Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland. anna_winnicka@sggw.pl.
Cywińska, Anna
  • Department of Pathology and Veterinary Diagnostics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland. anna_cywinska@sggw.pl.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 17 times.
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