Correlation of clinical score, intrapleural pressure, cytologic findings of bronchoalveolar fluid, and histopathologic lesions of pulmonary tissue in horses with summer pasture-associated obstructive pulmonary disease.
Abstract: To correlate clinical score, intrapleural pressure, cytologic findings of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and histologic lesions of pulmonary tissue in horses affected with summer pasture-associated obstructive pulmonary disease (SPAOPD). Methods: 8 adult horses affected with SPAOPD and 6 adult horses without evidence of respiratory tract disease. Methods: Clinical score, change in intrapleural pressure (deltaPpl) during tidal breathing, results of cytologic examination and bacteriologic culture of BALF, and results of histologic examination of pulmonary parenchyma were evaluated. Results: Clinical scores for SPAOPD-affected horses (median, 5.75; range, 4.0 to 7.5) were significantly greater, compared with clinically normal horses (median, 2.0; range, 2.0 to 3.0). Cytologic examination of BALF from SPAOPD-affected horses revealed predominantly nondegenerate neutrophils. Histologic lesions were identified throughout pulmonary tissue and included severe accumulation of mucus and neutrophils within the small airways, metaplasia of bronchiolar goblet cells, and mild peribronchial infiltrate. Histologic examination of specimens collected via percutaneous biopsy was predictive of disease and corresponded to findings at postmortem examination. Clinical score and deltaPpl were highly correlated with mucus accumulation in the airways of affected horses. Peribronchial inflammatory infiltrate correlated with percentage of neutrophils in BALF of affected horses. Conclusions: Clinical scoring and deltaPpl provided valid estimates of disease severity. Findings from cytologic examination of BALF of SPAOPD-affected horses varied, although, in most instances, it was diagnostically useful. Severe mucus accumulation in the airways was the most remarkable histopathologic finding in SPAOPD-affected horses. Examination of biopsy specimens collected from pulmonary parenchyma was consistently useful in diagnosing SPAOPD.
Publication Date: 2000-02-24 PubMed ID: 10685689DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.2000.61.167Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Research Support
- U.S. Gov't
- Non-P.H.S.
- Bronchoalveolar Lavage
- Clinical Examination
- Clinical Findings
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Signs
- Clinical Study
- Cytology
- Diagnosis
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Treatment
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Histopathology
- Horses
- Inflammation
- Necropsy
- Post Mortem
- Pulmonary Health
- Respiratory Disease
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Practice
Summary
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The research article primarily studies the relation between different clinical indicators in horses suffering from summer pasture-associated obstructive pulmonary disease (SPAOPD). The indicators include clinical score, intrapleural pressure, findings from analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue lesions. Research found that certain clinical scores and intrapleural pressure changes corresponded with the severity of SPAOPD in horses.
Research Method
- Eight adult horses diagnosed with SPAOPD and six adult horses showing no signs of respiratory disease were observed for comparison.
- Clinical score, changes in the pressure inside the pleural cavity (known as deltaPpl) during a breathing cycle, and results of bacterial culture and cytological examination of BALF were recorded.
- For a more in-depth study, histological study of lung tissue was also carried out.
Findings and Results
- SPAOPD-affected horses were noticed to have significantly higher clinical scores in comparison to healthy horses. This was backed by their BALF cytology showing a high presence of nondegenerate neutrophils, indicating inflammation.
- Severe accumulation of mucus, metaplasia of cells in small bronchioles, and slight infiltration of immune cells around the bronchi were noticed in the histologic reports of the lungs of affected horses. These observations were consistent with biopsy reports at both pre-biopsy and post-mortem examination.
- There was a strong correlation between the clinical score, changes in intrapleural pressure, and amount of mucus in the airways of SPAOPD-affected horses. Furthermore, the peribronchial inflammatory infiltrate showed correlation with the percentage of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.
Conclusions and Implications
- The clinical scores and changes in intrapleural pressure worked as reliable estimates of SPAOPD severity.
- The cytologic examination of BALF of SPAOPD-affected horses had variable findings, but was often seen as a useful diagnostic tool.
- Severe mucus accumulation in the airways was the most significant finding in the histopathologic study of the lung tissue in SPAOPD-affected horses.
- Overall, biopsy specimens collected from lung tissue consistently assisted in diagnosing SPAOPD.
Cite This Article
APA
Costa LR, Seahorn TL, Moore RM, Taylor HW, Gaunt SD, Beadle RE.
(2000).
Correlation of clinical score, intrapleural pressure, cytologic findings of bronchoalveolar fluid, and histopathologic lesions of pulmonary tissue in horses with summer pasture-associated obstructive pulmonary disease.
Am J Vet Res, 61(2), 167-173.
https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.2000.61.167 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge 70803, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Feed / adverse effects
- Animals
- Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / cytology
- Epithelial Cells / pathology
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horse Diseases / physiopathology
- Horses
- Leukocytes / pathology
- Lung / pathology
- Lung Diseases, Obstructive / pathology
- Lung Diseases, Obstructive / physiopathology
- Lung Diseases, Obstructive / veterinary
- Macrophages, Peritoneal / pathology
- Mast Cells / pathology
- Pleura / physiopathology
- Poaceae / adverse effects
- Pressure
Citations
This article has been cited 7 times.- Couetil L, Cardwell JM, Leguillette R, Mazan M, Richard E, Bienzle D, Bullone M, Gerber V, Ivester K, Lavoie JP, Martin J, Moran G, Niedźwiedź A, Pusterla N, Swiderski C. Equine Asthma: Current Understanding and Future Directions.. Front Vet Sci 2020;7:450.
- Bright LA, Dittmar W, Nanduri B, McCarthy FM, Mujahid N, Costa LR, Burgess SC, Swiderski CE. Modeling the pasture-associated severe equine asthma bronchoalveolar lavage fluid proteome identifies molecular events mediating neutrophilic airway inflammation.. Vet Med (Auckl) 2019;10:43-63.
- da Silva KM, Otaka JNP, Gonçalves CAP, Silva EGA, de Alencar NX, Lessa DAB. Association between exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage and inflammatory airway disease in polo ponies.. J Equine Sci 2017;28(2):55-59.
- Venugopal CS, Holmes EP, Polikepahad S, Laborde S, Kearney M, Moore RM. Neurokinin receptors in recurrent airway obstruction: a comparative study of affected and unaffected horses.. Can J Vet Res 2009 Jan;73(1):25-33.
- Polikepahad S, Haque M, Francis J, Moore RM, Venugopal CS. Characterization of endothelin receptors in the peripheral lung tissues of horses unaffected and affected with recurrent airway obstruction.. Can J Vet Res 2008 Jul;72(4):340-9.
- Pearson W, Charch A, Brewer D, Clarke AF. Pilot study investigating the ability of an herbal composite to alleviate clinical signs of respiratory dysfunction in horses with recurrent airway obstruction.. Can J Vet Res 2007 Apr;71(2):145-51.
- Venugopal CS, Polikepahad S, Holmes EP, Heuvel JV, Leas TL, Moore RM. Endothelin receptor alterations in equine airway hyperreactivity.. Can J Vet Res 2006 Jan;70(1):50-7.
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