Clinical implications of using adrenocorticotropic hormone diagnostic cutoffs or reference intervals to diagnose pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction in mature horses.
- Journal Article
- Age Factors
- Body Condition Score
- Case Reports
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Study
- Comparative Study
- Cortisol
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Endocrine System
- Equine Health
- Hormones
- Horses
- Physiology
- Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction
- Sexual Behavior
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Practice
- Veterinary Research
Summary
The research article explores ways to improve the diagnosis of Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) in horses through the testing of plasma ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone) concentrations, taking into account monthly variations and the effects of age, sex, and body condition.
Objective and Methodology
Researchers aimed to compare the effectiveness of utilizing two diagnostic methods: Diagnostic Cutoff Values (DCOVs) and Reference Intervals (RIs), over monthly intervals. They also sought to understand the implications of using both methods in a clinical setting, analyzing how each would affect PPID diagnosis.
The study involved 106 mature horses divided into two groups, a control group of 72 horses and a group of 34 PPID-affected horses. By performing monthly Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone (TRH) stimulation tests, researchers could track changes in ACTH concentrations. For data analysis, they used the Youden index in Receiver Operating Characteristic curves to determine DCOVs and a robust method for RIs.
Results
An emergent trend indicated that baseline ACTH concentrations varied significantly from month to month, with notable interaction effects relation to:
- Month and age
- Month and sex
- Month and body condition score (BCS)
In terms of diagnostic efficiency, baseline ACTH concentrations were found to be a reliable indicator for diagnosing PPID. Using DCOVs, test sensitivity improved considerably, which means the ability of the test to accurately identify PPID-affected horses increased. Applying RIs, on the other hand, enhanced the test’s ability to correctly identify horses without PPID, thereby reducing the possibility of unnecessary treatments.
Amplifying the effects, the use of TRH stimulation resulted in a substantial improvement in test accuracy, further validating its application in diagnosing PPID.
Conclusions
The study concluded that diagnosing PPID in horses using ACTH concentrations must take into account various factors, such as the month of testing and horse-specific characteristics, including age, sex, and body condition. Further, the choice between DCOVs and RIs should be based on the specific clinical context, as both methods have their respective benefits: DCOVs are more suited for detecting mild cases, while RIs help avoid unnecessary treatments. The TRH stimulation test was recommended for its ability to enhance diagnostic accuracy.
Cite This Article
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia.
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia.
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia.
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pty Ltd, North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia.
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia.
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / metabolism
- Animals
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horses
- Pituitary Diseases / diagnosis
- Pituitary Diseases / veterinary
- Pituitary Gland, Intermediate
- Prospective Studies
- Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone
Grant Funding
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pty Ltd
- The University of Queensland
Conflict of Interest Statement
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