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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Clinical Implications and Hospital Outcome of Immune-Mediate...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2017; 31(1); 170-175; doi: 10.1111/jvim.14637

Clinical Implications and Hospital Outcome of Immune-Mediated Myositis in Horses.

Abstract: Immune-mediated myositis (IMM) is a cause of rhabdomyolysis, stiffness, and muscle atrophy predominantly affecting Quarter horses. Limited information is available with regard to outcome, prognostic indicators, and associations with concurrent diseases. Objective: To report outcomes and associations between outcome and clinical and laboratory parameters, and presence of concurrent illness. Methods: Sixty-eight horses; 52 Quarter horses and related breeds and 16 other breeds. Methods: Retrospective cohort study (1991-2014). Medical records of horses with histological diagnosis of IMM were reviewed. Data recovery included signalment, laboratory variables, therapy, and outcome. Logistic regression was used to quantify the association between potential prognostic factors and survival to discharge. Results: Quarter horses were younger (mean < 4 years, range 3 months-21 years) than other breeds (mean < 10 years, range 1-23 years). Pathogens causing concurrent or recent infection included S. equi equi, S. equi zooepidemicus, C. pseudotuberculosis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, herpes virus-1, and influenza. The most common clinical signs consisted of rapidly progressive diffuse symmetrical muscle atrophy (80%), stiff gait (74%), and fever (44%). All horses that received medical therapy immediately upon admission survived to discharge (survival proportion = 87%). Leucocytosis was a common finding (60%). Horses with concurrent fever and other illness had a poor prognosis for hospital discharge. Conclusions: Horses with IMM can have a favorable outcome. Horses with concurrent fever and another illness had decreased probability of survival to discharge.
Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2017-01-02 PubMed ID: 28044365PubMed Central: PMC5259621DOI: 10.1111/jvim.14637Google 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.

The research explores the outcomes and factors influencing the prognosis of horses suffering from Immune-mediated myositis (IMM), a condition that leads to muscle degradation and stiffness, particularly in Quarter horses. The study also analyzes the correlation between the condition and concurrent illnesses in horses.

Objective and Methodology

  • The study was conducted to understand outcomes and identify the relation between outcomes and various factors including clinical, laboratory parameters, and present illnesses.
  • A retrospective cohort study was carried out using the medical records of 68 horses – 52 Quarter horses and 16 other breeds – diagnosed with IMM. The study spanned over a time period from 1991 to 2014.
  • Information collected included the horse’s signalment (age, breed, sex, etc.), laboratory variables, therapy, and outcome.
  • A statistical method, logistic regression, was used to establish the association between potential prognostic factors and survival to discharge.

Findings

  • The study found that Quarter horses affected by IMM were generally younger (with average age less than 4 years) than the other breeds (average age less than 10 years).
  • Several pathogens causing concurrent or recent infection were identified. These included S. equi equi, S. equi zooepidemicus, C. pseudotuberculosis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, herpes virus-1, and influenza.
  • The primary observed symptoms were rapidly increasing symmetrical muscle atrophy (80%), stiff gait (74%), and fever (44%).
  • All horses who received immediate medical therapy upon their admission survived, indicating a survival proportion of 87%.
  • Leucocytosis (increased white blood cell count), indicative of an immune response, was a common finding in 60% of the horses.
  • Horses diagnosed with IMM and also had a concurrent fever and other illness were observed to have a poorer prognosis for hospital discharge.

Conclusion

  • The study concluded that horses with IMM can have a favorable outcome, with immediate medical therapy playing a crucial role in survival.
  • However, when IMM coincides with fever and another illness, the chances of survival to discharge diminishes significantly.

Cite This Article

APA
Hunyadi L, Sundman EA, Kass PH, Williams DC, Aleman M. (2017). Clinical Implications and Hospital Outcome of Immune-Mediated Myositis in Horses. J Vet Intern Med, 31(1), 170-175. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.14637

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 31
Issue: 1
Pages: 170-175

Researcher Affiliations

Hunyadi, L
  • Equine Sports Medicine and Surgery, Weatherford, TX.
Sundman, E A
  • Kindred Biosciences, Burlingame, CA.
Kass, P H
  • Departments of Population Health and Reproduction, University of California, Davis, CA.
Williams, D C
  • The William R. Pritchard Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, University of California, Davis, CA.
Aleman, M
  • Medicine and Epidemiology, University of California, Davis, CA.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • California
  • Cohort Studies
  • Electromyography / veterinary
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / immunology
  • Horse Diseases / mortality
  • Horse Diseases / physiopathology
  • Horses
  • Male
  • Medical Records
  • Muscle, Skeletal / pathology
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiopathology
  • Myositis / mortality
  • Myositis / physiopathology
  • Myositis / veterinary
  • Pedigree
  • Retrospective Studies

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Citations

This article has been cited 8 times.
  1. Durward-Akhurst SA, Valberg SJ. Myosin Heavy Chain Myopathy and Immune-Mediated Muscle Disorders. Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract 2025 Apr;41(1):61-75.
    doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2024.10.005pubmed: 39880733google scholar: lookup
  2. van Galen G, Divers TJ, Savage V, Schott HC 2nd, Siwinska N. ECEIM consensus statement on equine kidney disease. J Vet Intern Med 2024 Jul-Aug;38(4):2008-2025.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.17101pubmed: 38801172google scholar: lookup
  3. Aleman M, Vedavally U, Pusterla N, Wensley F, Berryhill E, Madigan JE. Common and atypical presentations of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in equids with emphasis on neurologic and muscle disease. J Vet Intern Med 2024 Jan-Feb;38(1):440-448.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.16964pubmed: 38038253google scholar: lookup
  4. Sponseller BT, Wong DM, Ruby R, Ware WA, Wilson S, Haynes JS. Systemic calcinosis in a Quarter Horse gelding homozygous for a myosin heavy chain 1 mutation. J Vet Intern Med 2022 Jul;36(4):1543-1549.
    doi: 10.1111/jvim.16481pubmed: 35801821google scholar: lookup
  5. Valberg SJ, Schultz AE, Finno CJ, Bellone RR, Hughes SS. Prevalence of clinical signs and factors impacting expression of myosin heavy chain myopathy in Quarter Horse-related breeds with the MYH1(E321G) mutation. J Vet Intern Med 2022 May;36(3):1152-1159.
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  6. Ochala J, Finno CJ, Valberg SJ. Myofibre Hyper-Contractility in Horses Expressing the Myosin Heavy Chain Myopathy Mutation, MYH1(E321G). Cells 2021 Dec 6;10(12).
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  7. Valberg SJ, Henry ML, Perumbakkam S, Gardner KL, Finno CJ. An E321G MYH1 mutation is strongly associated with nonexertional rhabdomyolysis in Quarter Horses. J Vet Intern Med 2018 Sep;32(5):1718-1725.
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  8. Finno CJ, Gianino G, Perumbakkam S, Williams ZJ, Bordbari MH, Gardner KL, Burns E, Peng S, Durward-Akhurst SA, Valberg SJ. A missense mutation in MYH1 is associated with susceptibility to immune-mediated myositis in Quarter Horses. Skelet Muscle 2018 Mar 6;8(1):7.
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