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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Comparison between blood serum and salivary cortisol concent...
Equine veterinary journal2010; 43(4); 487-493; doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00294.x

Comparison between blood serum and salivary cortisol concentrations in horses using an adrenocorticotropic hormone challenge.

Abstract: In horses, serum cortisol concentration is considered to provide an indirect measurement of stress. However, it includes both free and bound fractions. The sampling method is also invasive and often stressful. This is not the case for salivary cortisol, which is collected using a more welfare-friendly method and represents a part of the free cortisol fraction, which is the biologically active form. Objective: To compare salivary and serum cortisol assays in horses, in a wide range of concentrations, using an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test, in order to validate salivary cortisol for stress assessment in horse. Methods: In 5 horses, blood samples were drawn using an i.v. catheter. Saliva samples were taken using swabs. Cortisol was assayed by radioimmunoassay. All data were treated with a regression method, which pools and analyses data from multiple subjects for linear analysis. Results: Mean ± s.d. cortisol concentrations measured at rest were 188.81 ± 51.46 nmol/l in serum and 1.19 ± 0.54 nmol/l in saliva. They started increasing immediately after ACTH injection and peaks were reached after 96 ± 16.7 min in serum (356.98 ± 55.29 nmol/l) and after 124 ± 8.9 min in saliva (21.79 ± 7.74 nmol/l, P<0.05). Discharge percentages were also different (225% in serum and 2150% in saliva, P<0.05). Correlation between serum and salivary cortisol concentrations showed an adjusted r(2) = 0.80 (P<0.001). The strong link between serum and salivary cortisol concentrations was also estimated by a regression analysis. Conclusions: The reliability of both RIAs and regression found between serum and salivary cortisol concentrations permits the validation of saliva-sampling as a noninvasive technique for cortisol level assessment in horses.
© 2010 EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2010-09-29 PubMed ID: 21496072DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00294.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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  • Comparative Study
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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 study aims to validate the use of salivary cortisol as a less invasive and stress-free method of determining stress levels in horses, by comparing its results with those from the conventional serum cortisol testing. The tests were conducted using ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) stimulation and the results showed a strong correlation between the salivary and serum cortisol levels.

Objective and Methods

  • The research was primarily designed to verify if cortisol levels obtained from horse saliva could be as reliable as those taken from blood serum for stress assessment.
  • A stimulated test using adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) was used to induce cortisol production in 5 horses.
  • Saliva samples were collected from the horses using swabs and blood samples were drawn through an intravenous catheter. The cortisol levels in these samples were then measured using a scientific method called radioimmunoassay.
  • The data obtained from these tests were then analyzed using a regression method where results from all five horses were combined and scrutinized for linear analysis.

Results

  • The initial mean cortisol levels at rest were found to be 188.81 ± 51.46 nmol/l in serum and 1.19 ± 0.54 nmol/l in saliva.
  • After the ACTH injection, cortisol levels started to increase immediately, reaching it’s peak after approximately 96 minutes in serum and after 124 minutes in saliva.
  • The peak cortisol level reached was 356.98 ± 55.29 nmol/l in serum and 21.79 ± 7.74 nmol/l in saliva. The discharge percentages were significantly different, with 225% increase recorded in serum and a much larger 2150% in saliva (the difference was statistically significant with P<0.05).
  • A high correlation (adjusted r(2) = 0.80, P<0.001) was found between the cortisol concentrations obtained from serum and saliva samples.", A linear regression analysis also confirmed this strong relationship.

Conclusions

  • The high correlation between the cortisol concentrations from the serum and saliva samples suggests that saliva samples provide a reliable assessment of cortisol levels in horses.
  • The results thus support the validation of saliva sampling as a less invasive and stressful method of cortisol assessment in horses, offering a more welfare-friendly data collection approach for stress assessment in horses.

Cite This Article

APA
Peeters M, Sulon J, Beckers JF, Ledoux D, Vandenheede M. (2010). Comparison between blood serum and salivary cortisol concentrations in horses using an adrenocorticotropic hormone challenge. Equine Vet J, 43(4), 487-493. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2010.00294.x

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 43
Issue: 4
Pages: 487-493

Researcher Affiliations

Peeters, M
  • Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Boulevard de Colonster, Liège, Belgium. marie.peeters@ulg.ac.be
Sulon, J
    Beckers, J-F
      Ledoux, D
        Vandenheede, M

          MeSH Terms

          • Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / administration & dosage
          • Animals
          • Female
          • Horses
          • Hydrocortisone / blood
          • Hydrocortisone / metabolism
          • Linear Models
          • Male
          • Radioimmunoassay / veterinary
          • Saliva / chemistry
          • Saliva / metabolism

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