Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Usefulness of clinical signs, bronchoalveolar lavage, and lung biopsy as diagnostic and prognostic aids.
Abstract: We examined 18 horses with clinical signs of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using physical examination, cytological and bacteriological evaluation of bronchoalveolar fluid, and percutaneous lung biopsy. In 16 cases, histological examination of lung tissue confirmed the diagnosis of COPD. Two horses were excluded: one had uncomplicated bacterial pneumonia and in the other a satisfactory lung biopsy could not be obtained. In horses with COPD, the most common historical complaint was coughing, which was reported in 88%. The most frequently detected abnormal finding on physical examination was abnormal lung sounds; these were detected in 69% of horses at rest and in 88% of horses breathing deeply into a bag. A novel finding was that 29% of horses had lung sounds that were quieter than would be expected for the degree of respiratory effort. Horses with COPD had increased percentages of neutrophils and decreased percentages of lymphocytes and macrophages in their bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Bronchiolar neutrophil infiltration and peribronchiolar mast cell accumulation in lung biopsy tissue had the highest correlation with clinical condition. The severity of pathological changes in biopsies of lung did not predict whether the horse would die in the two to four year follow-up period. Horses that died in the follow-up period were more severely affected clinically at initial presentation than horses that were alive at the end of the follow-up period.
Publication Date: 1992-09-01 PubMed ID: 17424075PubMed Central: PMC1481327
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
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 studied 18 horses suspected of having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), using various diagnostic methods like physical examination, lung fluid analysis, and lung biopsies. Over time, the health outcomes of the horses were also followed to understand the implications of initial signs and diagnostic findings.
Methodology and Findings
- Various diagnostic measures were used in this study, including physical examinations, evaluation of lung fluid (bronchoalveolar lavage fluid), and percutaneous lung biopsies.
- Of the 18 horses studied, 16 were confirmed to have COPD based on the histological examination of lung tissue. The two remaining horses were excluded due to bacterial pneumonia and an unsuccessful lung biopsy.
- The most common symptom of horses with COPD was a cough, being reported in 88% of the animals. Detailed physical examination showed abnormal lung sounds in 69% of horses at rest and 88% of horses breathing deeply.
- An interesting observation was that 29% of the horses exhibited quieter lung sounds than expected for their level of respiratory effort.
Lung fluid and biopsy findings
- The analysis of the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from horses with COPD showed an increased percentage of neutrophils and decreased proportions of lymphocytes and macrophages.
- In the biopsied lung tissue, there was a high correlation between neutrophil infiltration into the bronchioles and mast cell accumulation around the bronchioles with the clinical condition of the horses.
Prognosis and Follow-up
- The severity of pathological changes in the lung biopsies did not predict the chance of the horse’s survival in the subsequent 2-4 years.
- However, horses that were more severely affected at the initial presentation were more likely to die within the follow-up period.
The study adds valuable knowledge of the diagnostic and prognostic indicators for COPD in horses, with implications for the condition’s management and potential treatment strategies.
Cite This Article
APA
Naylor JM, Clark EG, Clayton HM.
(1992).
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Usefulness of clinical signs, bronchoalveolar lavage, and lung biopsy as diagnostic and prognostic aids.
Can Vet J, 33(9), 591-598.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
References
This article includes 16 references
- Viel L. Diagnostic procedures, prognosis and therapeutic approaches of chronic respiratory diseases in horses.. Can Vet J 1985 Jan;26(1):33-5.
- Rossier Y, Sweeney CR, Ziemer EL. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytologic findings in horses with pneumonia or pleuropneumonia.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1991 Mar 15;198(6):1001-4.
- Kaup FJ, Drommer W, Damsch S, Deegen E. Ultrastructural findings in horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). II: Pathomorphological changes of the terminal airways and the alveolar region.. Equine Vet J 1990 Sep;22(5):349-55.
- Kaup FJ, Drommer W, Deegen E. Ultrastructural findings in horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). I: Alterations of the larger conducting airways.. Equine Vet J 1990 Sep;22(5):343-8.
- Derksen FJ, Robinson NE, Scott JS, Stick JA. Aerosolized Micropolyspora faeni antigen as a cause of pulmonary dysfunction in ponies with recurrent airway obstruction (heaves).. Am J Vet Res 1988 Jun;49(6):933-8.
- Winder NC, von Fellenberg R. Chronic small airway disease in the horse: immunohistochemical evaluation of lungs with mild, moderate and severe lesions.. Vet Rec 1988 Feb 20;122(8):181-3.
- Mair TS, Stokes CR, Bourne FJ. Cellular content of secretions obtained by lavage from different levels of the equine respiratory tract.. Equine Vet J 1987 Sep;19(5):458-62.
- Clarke AF, Madelin T. Technique for assessing respiratory health hazards from hay and other source materials.. Equine Vet J 1987 Sep;19(5):442-7.
- Roudebush P. Lung sounds.. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1982 Jul 15;181(2):122-6.
- Raphel CF, Gunson DE. Percutaneous lung biopsy in the horse.. Cornell Vet 1981 Oct;71(4):439-48.
- Lawson GH, McPherson EA, Murphy JR, Nicholson JM, Wooding P, Breeze RG, Pirie HM. The presence of precipitating antibodies in the sera of horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).. Equine Vet J 1979 Jul;11(3):172-6.
- Brain JD, Frank R. Alveolar macrophage adhesion: wash electrolyte composition and free cell yield.. J Appl Physiol 1973 Jan;34(1):75-80.
- Derksen FJ, Scott JS, Miller DC, Slocombe RF, Robinson NE. Bronchoalveolar lavage in ponies with recurrent airway obstruction (heaves).. Am Rev Respir Dis 1985 Nov;132(5):1066-70.
- Fogarty U. Evaluation of a bronchoalveolar lavage technique.. Equine Vet J 1990 May;22(3):174-6.
- Darien BJ, Brown CM, Walker RD, Williams MA, Derksen FJ. A tracheoscopic technique for obtaining uncontaminated lower airway secretions for bacterial culture in the horse.. Equine Vet J 1990 May;22(3):170-3.
- Mair TS, Sweeney CR. Advances in the diagnosis of equine lung disease: sampling from the lower airways.. Equine Vet J 1990 May;22(3):147-8.
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Frippiat T, Art T, Tosi I. Airway Hyperresponsiveness, but Not Bronchoalveolar Inflammatory Cytokines Profiles, Is Modified at the Subclinical Onset of Severe Equine Asthma.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Aug 1;13(15).
- Jacobson GA, Raidal S, Robson K, Narkowicz CK, Nichols DS, Haydn Walters E. Bronchopulmonary pharmacokinetics of (R)-salbutamol and (S)-salbutamol enantiomers in pulmonary epithelial lining fluid and lung tissue of horses.. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2017 Jul;83(7):1436-1445.
- Venugopal CS, Holmes EP, Polikepahad S, Laborde S, Kearney M, Moore RM. Neurokinin receptors in recurrent airway obstruction: a comparative study of affected and unaffected horses.. Can J Vet Res 2009 Jan;73(1):25-33.
- Polikepahad S, Haque M, Francis J, Moore RM, Venugopal CS. Characterization of endothelin receptors in the peripheral lung tissues of horses unaffected and affected with recurrent airway obstruction.. Can J Vet Res 2008 Jul;72(4):340-9.
- Khol-Parisini A, van den Hoven R, Leinker S, Hulan HW, Zentek J. Effects of feeding sunflower oil or seal blubber oil to horses with recurrent airway obstruction.. Can J Vet Res 2007 Jan;71(1):59-65.
- Venugopal CS, Polikepahad S, Holmes EP, Heuvel JV, Leas TL, Moore RM. Endothelin receptor alterations in equine airway hyperreactivity.. Can J Vet Res 2006 Jan;70(1):50-7.
- Hare JE, Viel L, Conlon PD, Marshall JS. Evaluation of an in vitro degranulation challenge procedure for equine pulmonary mast cells.. Can J Vet Res 1998 Apr;62(2):133-9.
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
