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Home / Equine Research Bank / J Vet Intern Med / Dynamics of androgens in healthy and hospitalized newborn fo...
Journal of veterinary internal medicine2020; 35(1); 538-549; doi: 10.1111/jvim.15974

Dynamics of androgens in healthy and hospitalized newborn foals.

Abstract: Information on steroids derived from the adrenal glands, gonads, or fetoplacental unit is minimal in newborn foals. Objective: To measure androgen concentrations in serum and determine their association with disease severity and outcome in hospitalized foals. Methods: Hospitalized (n = 145) and healthy (n = 80) foals. Methods: Prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional study. Foals of ≤3 days of age from 3 hospitals and horse farms were classified as healthy and hospitalized (septic, sick nonseptic, neonatal maladjustment syndrome [NMS]) based on physical exam, medical history, and laboratory findings. Serum androgen and plasma ACTH concentrations were measured with immunoassays. Data were analyzed by nonparametric methods and univariate analysis. Results: Serum dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), androstenedione, testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) concentrations were higher upon admission in hospitalized foals (P <  .05), were associated with nonsurvival, decreased to 4.9-10.8%, 5.7-31%, and 30.8-62.8% admission values in healthy, SNS, and septic foals, respectively (P < .05), but remained unchanged or increased in nonsurviving foals. ACTH:androgen ratios were higher in septic and NMS foals (P  3; P < .05). Conclusions: Similar to glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, and progestagens, increased serum concentrations of androgens are associated with disease severity and adverse outcome in hospitalized newborn foals. In healthy foals, androgens decrease over time, however, remain elevated longer in septic and nonsurviving foals. Androgens could play a role in or reflect a response to disorders such as sepsis or NMS in newborn foals.
© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
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Publication Date: 2020-12-05 PubMed ID: 33277956PubMed Central: PMC7848305DOI: 10.1111/jvim.15974Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Multicenter Study

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 study measures the levels of androgen hormones in newborn foals and examines their relationship with illness severity and foal survival rates. The findings suggest that elevated androgen levels may be associated with more severe diseases and poor survival outcomes among sickly newborn foals, indicating a possible role of these hormones in sepsis and neonatal maladjustment syndrome.

Study Design and Methods

  • The research involved a prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional study of a total of 225 foals – 145 of them were hospitalized due to various health conditions and 80 foals were healthy. All the foals were 3 days old or less.
  • They were assessed and classified into different groups (septic, sick nonseptic, neonatal maladjustment syndrome [NMS] or healthy) based on medical history, physical exam, and laboratory findings.
  • The investigators analyzed the concentration of androgens (hormones like dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA], androstenedione, testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone [DHT]) in foal serum and plasma ACTH (a hormone that stimulates the adrenal glands) levels using immunoassays.
  • The data collection and analysis involved nonparametric methods and univariate analysis.

Key Findings

  • The findings indicated that upon admission, the hospitalized foals demonstrated higher levels of the measured androgens (DHEA, androstenedione, testosterone, and DHT) in comparison to their healthy counterparts.
  • These elevated androgen levels were correlated with an increased risk of foal death, and they lowered to varying amounts in healthy, sick nonseptic (SNS), and septic foals. However, for nonsurviving foals, these levels either remained increased or unaltered.
  • The ratio between ACTH and androgens was higher in septic and NMS foals, suggesting a more active adrenal gland response in these sick foals;
  • Foals that can’t efficiently clear androgens from their body were more likely to die, with an odds ratio greater than 3.

Conclusion

  • The study concludes that similar to other adrenal hormones (glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids, progestagens), increased levels of androgens in the blood are associated with more severe illnesses and adverse outcomes in hospitalized newborn foals.
  • In healthy foals, androgens reduce naturally over time, but they remain elevated for a longer period in septic and nonsurviving foals.
  • This implies that these androgen hormones may either play a role in or be a physiological response to disorders such as sepsis or NMS in newborn foals, highlighting their potential as a diagnostic or prognostic biomarker in equine neonatal medicine.

Cite This Article

APA
Swink JM, Rings LM, Snyder HA, McAuley RC, Burns TA, Dembek KA, Gilsenan WF, Browne N, Toribio RE. (2020). Dynamics of androgens in healthy and hospitalized newborn foals. J Vet Intern Med, 35(1), 538-549. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.15974

Publication

Journal of veterinary internal medicine
ISSN: 1939-1676
NlmUniqueID: 8708660
Country: United States
Language: English
Volume: 35
Issue: 1
Pages: 538-549

Researcher Affiliations

Swink, Jacob M
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Rings, Lindsey M
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
  • Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
Snyder, Hailey A
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
McAuley, Rachel C
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Burns, Teresa A
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Dembek, Katarzyna A
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.
Gilsenan, William F
  • Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
Browne, Nimet
  • Hagyard Equine Medical Institute, Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
Toribio, Ramiro E
  • College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA.

MeSH Terms

  • Androgens
  • Animals
  • Animals, Newborn
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Horse Diseases
  • Horses
  • Prospective Studies
  • Sepsis / veterinary

Grant Funding

  • T35 OD010977 / NIH HHS
  • 520493 / The Ohio State University Equine Research Funds
  • GRT00038668 / The Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation

Conflict of Interest Statement

Authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
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  3. Wilkins PA, Wong D, Slovis NM, Collins N, Barr BS, MacKenzie C, De Solis CN, Castagnetti C, Mariella J, Burns T, Perkins G, Delvescovo B, Sanchez LC, Kemper AM, Magdesian KG, Bedenice D, Taylor SD, Gold J, Dunkel B, Pranzo G, Constable PD. The Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome and Predictors of Infection and Mortality in 1068 Critically Ill Newborn Foals. J Vet Intern Med 2025 Mar-Apr;39(2):e70004.
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