Abstract: Musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) are common in racehorses and have been of increasing concern in horses travelling internationally to compete. Understanding the differences in bone turnover between local horses and international horses following long-distance air transportation may inform MSI prevention strategies. Objective: To understand the differences in bone turnover markers and risk of MSI between local horses and international horses following long-distance air transportation. Methods: Prospective cohort. Methods: The concentrations of bone turnover markers (OCN and CTXI), markers of stress (cortisol), inflammation (serum amyloid A) and circadian rhythm (melatonin), and bisphosphonates were determined in blood samples collected twice (14-17โdays apart), from horses following international travel (nโ=โ69), and from local horses (nโ=โ79). The associations between markers, long-distance travel and MSI were determined using multivariable generalised linear regression models. Results: Within 3-5โdays post-transport, concentrations of cortisol in international horses were higher than those of local horses (main effect, Coef. 0.39; 95% CI 0.24, 0.54; pโ<โ0.001) but they decreased and were not different to those of local horses at the second timepoint (interaction effect, Coef. -0.27; 95% CI -0.46, -0.07; pโ=โ0.007). After adjusting for age and sex, OCN and CTXI were not significantly different between international and local horses; however, OCN was lower in international horses at timepoint 2 (interaction effect, Coef. -0.16; 95% CI -0.31, -0.01; pโ=โ0.043). The prevalence of MSI was higher in the international (26%; 95% CI 16, 38%) compared with local horses (8%; 95% CI 3, 16%; pโ<โ0.001), with all severe MSI sustained by the international horses. At the second timepoint compared with the first timepoint post-transport, cortisol remained high or increased (interaction effect, Coef. 0.43; 95% CI 0.24, 0.61; pโ<โ0.001) and OCN increased (interaction effect, Coef. 0.26; 95% CI 0.08, 0.44; pโ=โ0.006) in the horses that sustained severe MSI. Conclusions: Horse population and racing career parameters differed between groups. Bone turnover markers have low sensitivity to detect local bone changes. Conclusions: Most horses showed minimal effects of long-distance air transport within 2โweeks relative to local horses as assessed by stress and bone turnover markers. Screening for persistent high cortisol and evidence of net bone formation after long-distance air transportation may help to identify racehorses at high risk of catastrophic MSI. Background: Les blessures musculosquelettiques (MSI) sont communes chez les chevaux de course et demeurent une source d'inquiรฉtude pour les chevaux voyageant ร l'international. Comprendre les diffรฉrences de remodelage osseux entre les chevaux locaux et ceux voyageant suivant un trajet aรฉrien longue distance pourrait aider au dรฉveloppement de stratรฉgies de prรฉvention des dommages musculosquelettiques. Objective: Comprendre les diffรฉrences de marqueurs de remodelage osseux et de risques de MSI entre les chevaux locaux et ceux voyageant ร l'international suivant un transport aรฉrien de longue distance. TYPE D'รTUDE: รtude de cohorte prospective. MรTHODES: Les concentrations des marqueurs de remodelage osseux (OCN et CTXI), de stress (cortisol), d'inflammation (serum amyloid A), de rythme circadien (melatonin) et les bisphosphonates ont รฉtรฉ mesurรฉs dans des รฉchantillons sanguins ร deux reprises (14โ17 jours ร part) chez des chevaux ayant รฉtรฉ ร l'international (nโ=โ69) et รฉtant restรฉs localement (nโ=โ79). L'association entre les marqueurs, le transport longue distance et les MSI a รฉtรฉ dรฉterminรฉe par modรจles de rรฉgression linรฉaire multivariรฉ gรฉnรฉralisรฉ. RรSULTATS: Entre 3 ร 5 jours suivant le transport, les concentrations de cortisol chez les chevaux internationaux รฉtaient supรฉrieures aux chevaux locaux (effet primaire, Coef. 0.39; 95% CI 0.24, 0.54; Pโ<โ0.001), mais ont diminuรฉ par la suite jusqu'ร ne plus รชtre diffรฉrent de ceux des chevaux locaux ร la deuxiรจme mesure (effet interaction, Coef. โ0.27; 95% CI โ0.46, โ0.07; Pโ=โ0.007). Aprรจs ajustement pour l'รขge et le sexe, OCN et CTXI n'รฉtaient pas significativement diffรฉrents entre les chevaux internationaux et locaux. Cependant, OCN รฉtait infรฉrieur chez les chevaux internationaux ร la deuxiรจme mesure (effet interaction, Coef. โ0.16; 95% CI โ0.31, โ0.01; Pโ=โ0.043). La prรฉvalence de MSI รฉtait plus รฉlevรฉe chez les chevaux internationaux (26%; 95% CI 16, 38%) comparativement aux chevaux locaux (8%; 95% CI 3, 16%; pโ<โ0.001), avec toutes les MSI sรฉvรจres subi par les chevaux internationaux. Au moment de la deuxiรจme mesure comparรฉe ร la premiรจre mesure aprรจs le transport, le cortisol est demeurรฉ รฉlevรฉ ou a augmentรฉ (effet interaction, Coef. 0.43; 95% CI 0.24, 0.61; Pโ<โ0.001) et l'OCN a augmentรฉ (effet interaction, Coef. 0.26; 95% CI 0.08, 0.44; Pโ=โ0.006) chez les chevaux ayant subi une MSI sรฉvรจre. Unassigned: La population รฉquine et leurs paramรจtres de course diffรจrent entre les groupes. Les marqueurs de remodelage osseux ont une faible sensibilitรฉ pour la dรฉtection de changements osseux localisรฉs. Conclusions: En deux semaines, les effets de transport aรฉrien longue distance ont รฉtรฉ minimaux pour la majoritรฉ des chevaux comparativement aux chevaux locaux, tel que dรฉmontrรฉ par les marqueurs de stress et de remodelage osseux. La dรฉtection de niveau รฉlevรฉ de cortisol de faรงon persistante et d'รฉvidence d'os nรฉoformรฉ suivant un transport aรฉrien de longue distance pourrait aider ร dรฉtecter les chevaux de course ร haut risque de MSI.
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This study investigates the difference in bone turnover and the risk of musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) between local racehorses and international racehorses that have been subjected to long-distance air transportation. Results suggest that long-distance transportation may increase stress levels and cause bone changes in horses, leading to a higher risk of severe MSI in international horses compared to local ones.
Study Method
The research was a prospective cohort study.
Blood samples were taken from 69 international horses and 79 local horses twice, with a gap of 14-17 days between each sample collection.
The blood samples were analyzed for the levels of bone turnover markers (OCN and CTXI), stress marker (cortisol), inflammation marker (serum amyloid A), circadian rhythm marker (melatonin), and bisphosphonates.
Associations between these markers, long-distance travel, and MSI were determined using multivariable generalised linear regression models.
Results
Three to five days post-transport, stress levels (cortisol concentrations) in international horses were higher than those in local horses, but normalised by the second timepoint (14-17 days post-transport).
After adjusting for age and gender, bone turnover markers OCN and CTXI were not significantly different between international and local horses. However, OCN was lower in international horses at the second timepoint.
Severe MSI was more common in international horses, with a prevalence of 26%, compared to local horses, with a prevalence of 8%.
For horses that sustained severe MSI, cortisol levels remained high or increased and OCN levels also increased at the second timepoint compared to the first.
Conclusion
Horse population and racing career parameters differed between groups.
Bone turnover markers have low sensitivity in detecting local bone changes.
Most horses showed minimal effects of long-distance air transport within two weeks, relative to local horses, as assessed by stress and bone turnover markers.
Screening for persistently high cortisol levels and evidence of net bone formation after long-distance air transportation may help to identify racehorses at high risk of catastrophic MSI.
Cite This Article
APA
Ayodele BA, Pagel CN, Mackie EJ, Armour F, Yamada S, Zahra P, Courtman N, Whitton RC, Hitchens PL.
(2024).
Differences in bone turnover markers and injury risks between local and international horses: A Victorian Spring Racing Carnival study.
Equine Vet J, 57(2), 333-346.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14098
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