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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Commercial amniotic membrane extract for treatment of cornea...
Equine veterinary journal2021; 53(6); 1268-1276; doi: 10.1111/evj.13399

Commercial amniotic membrane extract for treatment of corneal ulcers in adult horses.

Abstract: Amniotic membrane extract enhances the rate of epithelialisation after corneal ulceration in several species but has not been studied in the equine cornea. Objective: To evaluate the effect of amniotic membrane extract on re-epithelialisation of equine corneal ulcers compared with ulcers treated with antibiotic, antifungal and mydriatic medical therapy alone, and to evaluate equine corneal healing after experimentally induced superficial ulceration. Methods: Masked, randomised, controlled experimental trial. Methods: Superficial, 8 mm corneal ulcers were created bilaterally in each horse. One eye was treated with amniotic membrane extract and the opposite was control. Both eyes were treated with medical therapy. Treatment eyes received amniotic membrane extract, and control eyes received the amniotic membrane extract vehicle. Ulcers were stained with fluorescein and photographed in 12-hour increments until completely healed. Ulcer surface area was determined by analysing photographs with ImageJ. A mixed linear model was used to compare ulcer surface area and hours until healing between treatment groups. A regression model was also used to calculate corneal re-epithelialisation rate over time. Results: Regardless of therapy, healing occurred in two phases: an initial rapid phase of 0.88 mm2 /hr (95% CI: 0.81-0.94 mm2 /hr) for approximately 48-54 hours followed by a second, slow phase of 0.07 mm2 /hr (95% CI: 0.04-0.09 mm2 /hr). Most eyes healed within 135.5 ± 48.5 hours. Treatment (amniotic membrane extract vs. control) was not significantly associated with size of ulcers over time (P = .984). Discomfort was minimal to absent in all horses. Conclusions: Results achieved experimental studies may differ from outcomes in the clinical setting. Conclusions: There was no significant difference in healing rate with addition of amniotic membrane extract to medical therapy for equine superficial corneal ulcers. A biphasic corneal healing process was observed, with an initial rapid phase followed by a slow phase. Further study will be needed to determine whether amniotic membrane extract will be helpful for infected or malacic equine corneal ulcers.
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Publication Date: 2021-01-19 PubMed ID: 33320369DOI: 10.1111/evj.13399Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Veterinary

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 explores the effectiveness of amniotic membrane extract on the healing process of surface (or superficial) corneal ulcers in horses. The study found that adding amniotic membrane extract to the standard medical therapy does not significantly increase the healing rate of such ulcers, highlighting the need for further research.

Study Design and Methods

  • The researchers conducted a masked, randomised, controlled trial in which they created superficial corneal ulcers, with an 8mm diameter, in both eyes of the involved horses.
  • The eye that was treated with both amniotic membrane extract and the standard therapy was termed the ‘treatment eye’ while the other eye, which received only the standard therapy, was called a ‘control eye’.
  • The surface area of ulcers was measured by staining them with a substance known as fluorescein and captured in photographs. This was done in 12-hour intervals until the ulcers were completely healed.
  • The photographs were analysed using a software program known as ImageJ to determine the ulcer surface area.
  • The researchers made statistical comparisons between the size of ulcers and the time it took for them to heal in both the treatment and control groups.
  • A regression model was used to calculate how the rate of corneal re-epithelialisation changed over time.

Findings of the Research

  • The study found that, regardless of the therapy used, healing of the ulcer occurred in two phases: a fast initial phase that took about 48-54 hours and a slow second phase.
  • Metrically, the speed of healing during the first phase was 0.88mm per hour, and during the second phase, it was 0.07mm per hour.
  • The study revealed that most of the eyes healed completely within approximately 135.5±48.5 hours.
  • The addition of amniotic membrane extract to the standard therapy did not significantly affect the size of ulcers or the time it took for them to heal.
  • All horses showed minimal or no discomfort throughout the duration of the study.

Conclusions and Future Implications

  • In this experimental setting, there was no significant benefit of using amniotic membrane extract in treating superficial corneal ulcers in horses, as the healing rates did not differ significantly between the treatment and control groups.
  • The corneal healing process seemed to follow a biphasic pattern, with an initial rapid healing phase followed by a slow one.
  • The results of this study imply that the medicinal potential of amniotic membrane extract in treating infected or malacic (softened or degenerated) equine corneal ulcers requires further research.

Cite This Article

APA
Lyons VN, Townsend WM, Moore GE, Liang S. (2021). Commercial amniotic membrane extract for treatment of corneal ulcers in adult horses. Equine Vet J, 53(6), 1268-1276. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13399

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 53
Issue: 6
Pages: 1268-1276

Researcher Affiliations

Lyons, Victoria N
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Purdue University, Indiana, USA.
Townsend, Wendy M
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Purdue University, Indiana, USA.
Moore, George E
  • Department of Comparative Pathobiology, Purdue University, Indiana, USA.
Liang, Siqi
  • Department of Statistics, College of Science, Purdue University, Indiana, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Amnion / transplantation
  • Animals
  • Cornea
  • Corneal Ulcer / drug therapy
  • Corneal Ulcer / veterinary
  • Horse Diseases / drug therapy
  • Horses
  • Plant Extracts
  • Wound Healing

Grant Funding

  • Purdue University
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
  • Graduate Student Competitive Research Funds
  • Vetrix
  • LLC

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