Comparison of intra-articular injection of 2 ml of 0.9% NaCl solution with rest alone for treatment of horses with traumatic arthritis.
Abstract: To compare effects of intra-articular injection of 2 ml of 0.9% NaCl solution with rest alone for treatment of horses with traumatic arthritis. Methods: 38 Standardbred horses with moderate to severe lameness that resulted from traumatic arthritis. Methods: Horses were stratified on the basis of number of affected joints. In each stratum, horses were allocated randomly to treatment groups (intraarticular injection of 2 ml of 0.9% NaCl solution vs rest only). Treatment was for a period of 3 weeks. Horses were inspected weekly with a final examination 2 to 4 weeks after completion of treatment. Results: Mean lameness index was significantly lower during the 3-week treatment period and the entire study period for the NaCl-injected group. A significant decrease in the lameness index during the first 3-week treatment period also was detected for the rest-only group; however, the lameness index increased significantly for this group during the follow-up period, and an overall significant decrease was not detected. Comparison of the lameness index curve indicated a difference in favor of NaCl injection, with a significant difference between the 2 groups at final examination. Nine horses became sound during treatment with rest only, but 6 relapsed before final examination. In the NaCl-injected group, 5 of 10 sound horses relapsed. Conclusions: Intra-articular injection of 2 ml of 0.9% NaCl solution was beneficial in horses with traumatic arthritis. Use of rest alone for a limited period was inadequate for treatment of young Standardbred horses with traumatic arthritis.
Publication Date: 1999-09-18 PubMed ID: 10490082
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- Clinical Trial
- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Randomized Controlled Trial
Summary
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This research article explores the effects of injecting a 2 ml dose of 0.9% NaCl solution into the joint, compared to only resting, in the treatment of traumatic arthritis in horses. The study found that the saline injection procedure was more effective overall than rest alone.
Study Design and Methods
- The research comprised of a total of 38 Standardbred horses who were all suffering from moderate to severe lameness caused by traumatic arthritis.
- The horses were separated or “stratified” based on the number of affected joints they had.
- In each stratum, the horses were randomly assigned to two different treatment groups. One group was given an intra-articular injection of 2 ml of 0.9% NaCl solution, and the other group was subjected to rest only.
- The treatment lasted for a period of three weeks, with the horses being examined on a weekly basis. A final examination was conducted two to four weeks after the completion of the treatment.
Results of the Study
- The study discovered that the mean lameness index was significantly lower for the horses receiving the NaCl injection treatment during both the 3-week treatment period and the entire study period.
- A noticeable decrease in the lameness index during the first 3-week treatment period was also noted for the rest-only group. However, the lameness index increased considerably for this group during the follow-up period, and an overall significant decrease was not observed.
- Nine horses in the rest-only group became sound during their treatment, but six of them relapsed before the final examination. In the NaCl-injected group, five out of the ten sound horses relapsed.
Conclusions
- The study concluded that an intra-articular injection of 2 ml of 0.9% NaCl solution was beneficial for horses with traumatic arthritis.
- The data suggested that using rest alone for a limited period was inadequate for treating young Standardbred horses with traumatic arthritis.
Cite This Article
APA
Gaustad G, Dolvik NI, Larsen S.
(1999).
Comparison of intra-articular injection of 2 ml of 0.9% NaCl solution with rest alone for treatment of horses with traumatic arthritis.
Am J Vet Res, 60(9), 1117-1121.
Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, Oslo.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Arthritis / drug therapy
- Arthritis / veterinary
- Double-Blind Method
- Female
- Horse Diseases / drug therapy
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horses / injuries
- Injections, Intra-Articular / veterinary
- Joints / injuries
- Joints / physiopathology
- Lameness, Animal / etiology
- Male
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Rest
- Sodium Chloride / administration & dosage
- Sodium Chloride / therapeutic use
- Wounds and Injuries / complications
- Wounds and Injuries / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Carapeba GO, Cavaleti P, Nicácio GM, Brinholi RB, Giuffrida R, Cassu RN. Intra-Articular Hyaluronic Acid Compared to Traditional Conservative Treatment in Dogs with Osteoarthritis Associated with Hip Dysplasia.. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2016;2016:2076921.
- Niemelä TM, Tulamo RM, Hielm-Björkman AK. A randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical study on intra-articular hyaluronan treatment in equine lameness originating from the metacarpophalangeal joint.. BMC Vet Res 2016 Mar 23;12:60.
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