Effect of glucose administration on equine fasting hyperbilirubinemia.

The research article explores how administering glucose in different doses and through various methods impacts the reduction of hyperbilirubinemia (high levels of bilirubin in the blood) in ponies after a three-day fast.

Study Objectives and Methods

• The study involved an investigation on nine pony mares which were subjected to a three-day fast. The aim was to study the effects of several treatment options and their administration routes on reducing hyperbilirubinemia, a state marked by high bilirubin concentration in the blood.
• Treatments administered included glucose at varying doses (1.2, 2.4, and 3.7 mg/min/kg of body weight), the base-line diet, straw, and taurocholic acid at a dosage of 0.07 mumol/min/kg given intravenously (IV).
• The glucose was administered through three different routes: intravenously (IV), intraduodenal (directly into the small intestine), and intragastric (directly into the stomach).

Results of the Study

• It was observed that the smallest dosage of glucose given intravenously only reduced the plasma bilirubin concentration by 7%, even though other fasting related measurements returned toward their baseline.
• The study also revealed that the IV administration of glucose reduced increased free fatty acid concentration by 50% and also resulted in an above baseline increase in plasma insulin.
• With the exception of the smallest glucose dose given intravenously, there was no significant difference in the effects of the administration routes (IV, intraduodenal, and intragastric) and the doses of glucose on lowering bilirubin.
• Taurocholic acid, when administered via IV, was not effective in reducing the plasma fasting bilirubin concentration.
• When the ponies were refed their base-line diet, the hyperbilirubinemia was reduced by 66% in 12 hours, implying a significantly greater reduction compared to all other treatment options except for the largest dose of glucose administered intragastrically.
• Feeding the ponies straw proved to be less effective than refeeding, resulting in an approximately 30% reduction in bilirubin levels.

Conclusion

• The study indicates that refeeding a base-line diet or administering a larger dose of glucose via the intragastric route are more effective in reducing hyperbilirubinemia in ponies after a three-day fast, compared to other treatments. This suggests that both nutrition and the route of glucose administration play crucial roles in managing bilirubin levels.